TEA COVID19 guidance to local school districts is out and it is flies in the face of Centers for Disease Control guidance. The Texas Education Agency has issued the following information.
The new guidance from TEA comes shortly after Governor Abbott denied emergency healthcare staffing for area hospitals experiencing a four fold increase in COVID19 hospitalizations in just a month’s time.
TEA COVID19 Guidance: COVID19 Vaccines
TEA COVID19 guidance on vaccines is unclear and inconsistent. The coronavirus vaccine is not available for children younger than twelve, but for those students twelve or older, the vaccine will not be required despite other vaccines being necessary.
Statewide, Texas students in kindergarten-12th grade are required to be vaccinated against:
- Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis
- Polio
- Measles/mMumps/Rubella (MMR)
- Hepatitis A and B and
- Varicella
- After a student turns eleven, they are required to be vaccinated against meningococcal meningitis.
TEA COVID19 Guidance: Parent Information
TEA COVID19 guidance also says local ISDs do not have to inform parents of positive cases at their children’s school. They are required to report that information to state and local health departments.
Schools also don’t have to contact trace, but if they choose to do so, parents can still choose to send their kid to school if they are a “close contact” of a positive coronavirus case.
Dallas ISD is having a Back To School event tomorrow at the Townview Magnet campus. It is scheduled for tomorrow morning.