Dallas ISD Board approves more COVID-19 resources

 

Special to The Dallas Examiner

 

Following the Dallas ISD Board of Trustee March 26 board meeting, members approved the following items to provide more resources for our students, families, and staff during the district closure due to COVID-19:

 

1. Authorization of the purchase of 10,000 mobile hotspots for students, who would otherwise not have access to high-speed internet service from home.

• Jack Kelanic, Dallas ISD chief technology officer, highlighted that Dallas ISD has invested on building robust internet access in campuses.
• This near-term strategy will focus on mobile hotspots; however, a longer-term plan is still in development on how to provide internet resources to more families district wide.
• Currently, there are between 8,000 to 9,000 Verizon hotspots being used by middle and high school students.
• Our goal is to ensure every student in grades 6 through 12 not only has access to a laptop or tablet, but internet access at-home.
• Additionally, the Dallas Education Foundation has adopted the purchase of hotspots as a priority and received donor support for additional hotspots.

 

2. Approved a resolution that extended emergency leave for all active district employees

• All salaried and hourly employees will continue to receive their normal paychecks and benefits while the district is closed indefinitely.
• The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved granting extended emergency leave for all active salaried and hourly employees, allowing them to continue receiving their normal paychecks while schools are closed indefinitely.
• All active Dallas ISD employees will receive their normal compensation/paychecks with no deductions to their paid time off.
• During a district wide Extended Emergency Leave while all staff will receive their normal compensation levels, some staff may be required to perform some limited duties remotely/work-from-home to maintain key functions of the district including but not limited to activities such as instruction, lesson development, curriculum development, staff supports and business office functions such as payroll etc.

 

Trustees also approved a resolution that extended emergency leave for all active salaried and hourly employees, allowing them to continue receiving their normal paychecks and benefits while schools are closed indefinitely.