KILLEEN, Texas — With thousands of students still in need of devices and internet connection to return to school virtually, Killeen ISD will open for traditional in-person instruction Monday, August 31. This is a week earlier than previously communicated, according to the district.
Killeen ISD Superintendent John Craft made the announcement during Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting. KISD students still have the option to attend school virtually, a choice that school district leaders expect to maintain throughout the school year, according to the district.
Last week, more than 40,000 KISD students successfully logged on during the district’s historic all-virtual start to the school year. Still, between 4,000 and 7,000 enrolled students were not able to participate due to a variety of technical challenges and shortages.
On the first day of school, students logged-in to 9,890 Zoom meetings with teachers. School district technology personnel prepared and distributed 20,300 devices for families who indicated a need. The district has ordered more devices and hot spots to meet demand however due to high demand, the devices are not scheduled to arrive before October. The KISD technology hotline logged 13,512 calls during the first day of school, according to the district.
Killeen ISD said it continues to closely follow guidance from the Texas Education Agency, the Bell County Health Department and the CDC. The school system has been tracking employee and student data regarding COVID-19 cases as employees returned to work in the spring and summer and students returned virtually a week ago.
Each positive case triggers notifications including deep cleaning, communication to the entire campus population and the Bell County Health Department. Students and staff members must pre-screen and avoid coming to school if they have a fever of 100 degrees or higher. Students and staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19 must not return to school until they meet the district’s Return to Campus Criteria, according to the district.
All students and staff are required to wear face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained. There will be no field trips and campuses will be closed to visitors unless an appointment is made in advance, according to the district.
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