YISD plans to ease transition into summer classes for teachers, parents

EL PASO, Texas -- Top administrators with the Ysleta Independent School District say they have a plan in place to help teachers and parents while transitioning from spring to summer distance learning courses.

YISD's distance learning kicked off at the end of March and assignments began going out to students on April 6.

Administrators are also planning to have teachers stop giving out new assignments and connect to students after May 15. 

They say this will allow their over 40,000 students to catch up with any old work and also allow upperclassmen and women to finish up college prerequisites.

“We had to make sure about what technology was accessible at home and what was not for the kids," said YISD Associate Superintendent Brenda Chacon-Robles. "It is a lot to keep track of under these difficult circumstances but we are handling it day by day.”

YISD officials say this helps teachers who are parents and adds that it won’t be a time for students to cruise with plenty of review course work still on the table for them to use and sharpen their skills.

Arlinda Valencia of the Ysleta Teachers Union added that the period from May 15 on won't be relaxed academically for YISD students as they will be given a large menu of lesson review directives with which to continue sharpening their skills.

“Absolutely, everyone will continue to work hard until June 5," said Valencia. "We want all these kids to succeed. We want all of these kids to get through this.”

According to the Texas Education Agency, schools must hit a basic requirement of at least 75,600 total minutes of instruction.

Failure to hit that mark results in the schools funding being fractionally reduced by the TEA.

According to administrators, the school district has already crossed the 50,000-minute mark and on its way to the required number.