Several Austin ISD trustees joined their Del Valle colleagues at a press conference the following morning to rally in support of the mandate, including District 2 trustee Ofelia Zapata.
"It is my responsibility as a trustee to safeguard the health and well being of our students, staff and families," Zapata said. "That is why I voted to support Austin ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde in her efforts to implement the necessary health and safety measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, including requiring the use of masks for all staff, and visitors."
The mandate defies a May executive order by Gov. Greg Abbott banning public school districts and local governmental entities from making such orders.
Virtual updates
Also at the board's August informational meeting, staff shared new details on the district's virtual learning program, including the newest data on student and teacher participation.
Of the 7,322 program applications the district received, 2,388 were from out-of-district families and were declined due to funding challenges—although the district had previously said some out-of-district applications might be considered.
Other rejected applicants included those who did not meet the program criteria due to age, as it is limited to kindergarteners through sixth graders.
Out of 4,035 accepted applications, 3,666 are expected to attend the virtual program, said Chief Officer of Schools Dr. Anthony Mays. The district has extended the deadline for accepted applicants to opt out to midnight on Aug. 13, and has been making phone calls to parents to inform them of the heightened safety measures on campuses.
"Upon us announcing our mask stance, we've seen [virtual participation] numbers drop considerably," Mays said.
The number of students enrolled in virtual learning significantly affects the district's funding. Each student costs $10,100 to educate—a price tag that includes $4,500 in lost state funding. If 3,666 students ultimately opt for virtual learning, district information projects AISD will lose nearly $16.5 million in state dollars.
As district staff continue to calculate the total number of students who will participate in virtual learning, they are also working to confirm which faculty members will serve the virtual program this fall.
"We've been collecting volunteers, and it's a mixed bag. At some campuses we did have teachers that volunteered, and at other campuses we didn't have a volunteer," said
Leslie Stephens, Chief Officer of Human Capital.
Some teachers who did not volunteer have been assigned. Virtual instructors attended professional development and training on Aug. 12 and 13, but some have also been told to set up their classrooms in person, as the actual number of virtual learners remains in flux.
According to the district, if the virtual learning program continues in the spring 2022 semester, teachers may be sent back to their home school or to another school, depending on in-person enrollment levels.
