Likelihood of in-person school starting in the fall (Austin, Leander: credit, dorm)

[rangergrit]

The next school year starts in about 11 weeks. And we have no idea what AISD is going to do.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by rangergrit

The next school year starts in about 11 weeks. And we have no idea what AISD is going to do.

They have no idea either. My last day was today and found out my position got extra funding to work over the summer at 3:30pm today. I guarantee you 98% of schools in Texas are in the same place as AISD.

[Trainwreck20]

They have lots of idea, they just don't know which one(s) they are going to do yet. The failure to make a crystal ball is the biggest failing, followed by the 10s of thousands of families that are personally vested in one solution or another that only works best for them.

[blazerj]

UT is opening on 8/26 and will close early (Thanksgiving), so why wouldn't the Austin schools be open?

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by blazerj

UT is opening on 8/26 and will close early (Thanksgiving), so why wouldn't the Austin schools be open?

Because there’s a big difference in educating 9 year olds versus 19 year olds.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

Because there’s a big difference in educating 9 year olds versus 19 year olds.

The only difference I can think of is that the 19 year old is paying between $10 and $30K per year to get educated, while 9 year olds (aside from private school) are not.

As of 5/23/2020, there were 81,372 COVID-19 deaths in the US. ~100 of those were for people younger than 24.
- CDC Data

You can make the argument that teachers, staff, support people, administrators... would all be adversely impacted by in-person school, but again why is that different for UT vs AISD students?

[Trainwreck20]

If elementary/middle/high school is open, then you are required by law to attend. You also must be in every class. Not so for college, generally speaking. College and individual classes are optional. Also, young kids are not nearly developed enough to maintain social distancing and hygiene.

It is not about kids getting sick, it is about kids spreading Covid.

There are other reasons. But if the only difference you can think of is the cost, it is probably a pointless discussion .

[riaelise]

well i'll say this - my 9 year old catches every single virus that goes around in the school. She eats well, is not overweight by any metric, and had breast milk for two years. Because of her propensity for getting sick, and how easily viruses that aren't corona are spread in schools, I really want to be assured everything is under control before I send her. We shall see.

Online instruction has been a mixed bag - one kid does just fine, but it's not good for my oldest who prefers traditional structured instruction.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by blazerj

The only difference I can think of is that the 19 year old is paying between $10 and $30K per year to get educated, while 9 year olds (aside from private school) are not.

As of 5/23/2020, there were 81,372 COVID-19 deaths in the US. ~100 of those were for people younger than 24.
- CDC Data

You can make the argument that teachers, staff, support people, administrators... would all be adversely impacted by in-person school, but again why is that different for UT vs AISD students?

You obviously don’t know a lot of developmental psychology. Attention span, reading comprehension, supports for disabilities (although addressed in a higher ed setting), etc are all reasons why higher ed virtual education versus elementary virtual education is different. FWIW, I got my masters online in 2014 from a top ten school.

[blazerj]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

If elementary/middle/high school is open, then you are required by law to attend. You also must be in every class. Not so for college, generally speaking. College and individual classes are optional. Also, young kids are not nearly developed enough to maintain social distancing and hygiene.

It is not about kids getting sick, it is about kids spreading Covid.

There are other reasons. But if the only difference you can think of is the cost, it is probably a pointless discussion .

You make solid points about being developed enough for social distancing and hygiene, but expecting college kids to not show up is questionable.

There are also negative factors for UT opening > an elementary school. They have lecture halls that fit 300+ kids, many out of state and international students (and professors, lecturers), and college kids live in dorms, party a lot, hook up...

At the end of they day, if 50,000 kids can attend UT-Austin in August, but kids can't attend the K-12 schools in the same town, it's simply due to money.