HPISD Parent-Led, At-Home Learning Option To Be Discontinued

A temporary asynchronous at-home learning option offered by Highland Park ISD is set to end after the fall semester given the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 through 11, district officials say. 

HPISD assistant superintendent for education services Lisa Wilson said Tuesday that 12 students were participating in the program.

The program was rolled out in August for parents of students in Pre-K and kindergarten through sixth grade who wanted an alternative to in-person instruction. 

(READ: HPISD Offers Temporary Parent-Led At-Home Learning Option)

“Originally, when we designed the parent-led program, the conversation was around vaccines not being available for students under a certain age, and so we designed that program for only those students and now that vaccines are available for that population, we feel like we would like to discontinue the parent-led program beginning the second semester,” said Wilson. “We do still provide a medical home bound (option) for any extenuating circumstances, so if there is a medical issue, we still have the ability to handle those situations and work with those families.”

The move was discussed in a Nov. 30 board of trustees work session. 

The board and district officials also discussed reviewing district goal setting and how STAAR scores should be prioritized.