COVID-19 Health and Safety Q&A

Texas

Academic Year 2022-2023

Health and Safety

ResponsiveEd campuses are ready to meet the needs of students through on-campus instruction during the 2022-23 school year. We continue to monitor data, updates, guidance, and/or directives from Texas Governor Greg Abbott; Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath; and other local, state, and federal agencies regarding COVID-19 response, prevention, and mitigation efforts. This guidance has evolved and will continue to evolve based on COVID-19 conditions across the state and within the communities we serve.

ResponsiveEd has developed these operational guidelines in consultation with the following organizations:

• Texas Education Agency (TEA): Public Health Orders, Updated 8/05/21
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Considerations for Schools,
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry,
• Local Education Service Centers and School Districts, and
• Local County and City Health Departments.
  

• Will my student’s campus require face coverings?

The Texas Education Agency and ResponsiveEd strongly encourage students, staff, and visitors to wear face covers while indoors on campus.

• Will my student’s campus require vaccination?

In compliance with the Governor of Texas' Executive Order (GA-38), which prohibits government entities (including charter schools) from mandating vaccines, campus leaders and staff cannot require either students, staff, or visitors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, vaccinations are optional for students, staff, and visitors. Campuses will work to ensure no person is treated differently as a result of their choice to vaccinate or not vaccinate.

The Texas Education Agency and ResponsiveEd strongly encourage students and staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

• Will vaccination status impact the campus’ face-covering policy?

The Governor of Texas' Executive Order (GA-38)  prohibits campuses from requiring facial coverings for students, staff, or visitors, regardless of vaccination status.

• Where can my child get a COVID-19 vaccine?

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at many local pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and other locations. The Food and Drug Administration has expanded the emergency use authorization for the vaccinations to include all individuals age 12 and older.

• Should I screen my student before they arrive at the campus?

All staff, visitors, and students should screen at home for COVID-19 symptoms using screening questions each day before arriving at the campus. All staff, visitors, and students (with parental assistance) should monitor for symptoms of illness before campus arrival.

• What should I do if I suspect my child has COVID-19?

Keep your student home from campus until you can see a health care provider or they receive results from a COVID-19 test. Please contact the campus to report the positive test.

• If my child tests positive for COVID, how long does my student have to isolate?

Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate until:

• 5 days have passed since symptoms began;
• Symptoms have improved;
• Fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

• Will ResponsiveEd require parents to notify the campus if their child tests positive for COVID-19?

Parents are required to report to their campus as soon as possible if their student has tested positive for COVID-19. Parents should contact the campus nurse via email or phone call to report the student’s COVID-19 case.

• How will students who have tested positive for COVID-19 access instruction during the isolation?

Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate until at least 5 days have passed since their symptom onset AND their symptoms have improved, or since their positive test if they have no symptoms. This time will be handled as any other absence due to illness. The campus staff will contact the parent to discuss options (as defined by the TEA).

• What will the procedure be if someone in my student’s class is confirmed to have COVID-19?

Given the data from 2020-21 showing very low COVID-19 transmission rates on the campus and in a classroom setting, and data demonstrating lower transmission rates among children than adults, school systems are not required to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing. Parents of students who are determined to be close contacts of an individual with COVID-19 may opt to keep their students at home during the recommended stay-at-home period.

The campus will send a communication to the families indicating a positive case was identified in their child’s classroom and/or cohort.

• Will there be any practices to ensure a healthy campus?

Frequent hand sanitization will help ensure the health and wellness of students, staff, and visitors. To this end, students, staff, and visitors will be asked to adhere to the following guidance:

• Sanitize and/or wash hands upon entering and exiting the campus, classroom, restroom, cafeteria, and all other common areas.
• Wash hands after recess, before eating, and following restroom breaks.

• Each classroom and restroom will be disinfected daily.
• All high-touch areas will be cleaned frequently throughout the day.
• The cafeteria will be disinfected between lunch periods.

• Water bottle fillers are being installed on all campuses.
• If a positive case is detected, custodial staff will disinfect all affected areas.

• Where can I see the health of my student’s campus? 

Current COVID-19 numbers may be accessed at:

Texas Public School COVID-19 Data

ResponsiveEd COVID-19 Activity Dashboard

This document is subject to change as guidance and/or directives are provided by government officials and/or as COVID-19 conditions change.