Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he will make a decision about whether to extend school closures this week as well as graduation, according to Kelly. This will help the district determine what direction to take with graduation plans, Kelly said.
Right now, the district has discussed holding a virtual graduation or an in-person ceremony in the summer as well as some other options, he said.
If Abbott closed the district through the end of the school year, PISD would have to follow that order. However, if the governor chose to leave reopening schools in the hands of the districts, PISD could still choose to extend the school closures for the rest of the year, Kelly said.
“I am not sure which way he will go,” Kelly said.
If the governor chose to reopen schools, PISD would likely convene with other Houston-area school district superintendents to decide what to do across the area, Kelly speculated.
The district would make a decision about graduation shortly after, Kelly said.
Trustee Rebecca Decker extended an apology to the high school seniors whose graduation and final year at PISD has been affected by the pandemic.
“I know this is such a hard time for them,” Decker said.
The district also provided an update on how the virus is affecting the budget. The virus is not expected to affect this year’s budget or the next, Kelly said. He believes the district will get reimbursed by the state for things it bought to help students through the pandemic, including laptops, hotspots and meals, he said.
“I am expecting generous reimbursements. I am not concerned with that at all,” Kelly said. “My only concern is that it can take some time. ... Reimbursements take a while.”
Kelly and Chief Financial Officer Jorgannie Carter will know more about the financial situation and share at the April 28 budget workshop.
