Hundreds Of Students Miss TAKS, 17 Schools Closed

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – At least 17 schools have closed for the week and thousands of Texas students are missing school on an important day of standardized state tests because of swine flu fears.

The Schertz-Cibolo ISD near San Antonio closed all 14 schools, including a high school where three of the state’s six confirmed cases of swine flu were found. An elementary school in suburban Dallas, a high school in New Braunfels and a middle school in Rio Grande City also closed.

Rio Grande City Superintendent Roel Gonzalez said today that five schools are each missing between 80 and 140 students, adding that parents are keeping kids home out of fear of swine flu. Local officials have deemed two students at Veterans Middle School “probable” cases of swine flu.

A state education spokeswoman says officials are working on a TAKS retesting schedule, but it won’t be completed until it’s known how long schools will be closed.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)