Local Health authorities issue Joint Control Order for Tarrant County; Students will not be returning for in-person classes until Sept. 28

Local Health authorities issue Joint Control Order for Tarrant County;

Students will not be returning for in-person classes until Sept. 28

July 21, 2020 (Tarrant County, TX) – Tarrant County students will not return to school until Sept. 28 under a Joint Control Order issued today by Local Health Authorities from Tarrant County, the City of Arlington and the City of Burleson.

Under the order, all public and non-religious private schools are not to re-open for on-campus, face-to-face instruction or activities until Sept.28. Some activities are allowed, though social distancing, facial coverings and other safety protocols must still be observed:

• Administrators, teachers and staff may conduct remote learning while on-campus
• All events and activities, including clubs, sports, band, choir, fairs, exhibitions, academic and/or athletic competitions and similar student activities may take place remotely or outdoors in accordance with current social distancing and masking guidelines
• Special education instruction may occur when necessary and in accordance with TEA guidelines when feasible
• Students whose individual education plans cannot be implemented with remote learning or who have limited household connectivity to the internet may be provided in-person instruction
• All school systems shall re-open schools through remote learning only as per each school system's own plan and may provide curbside meals from school campuses.

The new order requires each school district to provide the Local Health Authority a written plan for resuming on-campus instruction and extra-curricular activities no later than two weeks before re-opening school. Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja said the order is needed to continue to slow the spread of COVID-19.

"The safety of our children is our greatest concern along with the health of their parents, teachers and friends," said Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja. "With community spread actively in place, our children going to school would undo everything that our stay at home and mask-wearing efforts have tried to accomplish."

The order, effective today, was signed jointly by all three Local Health Authorities, Dr. Catherine Colquitt for Tarrant County Public Health, Dr. Cynthia Simmons for the City of Arlington, and Dr. Steve Martin for the City of Burleson.

Read the Joint Control Order here.

For questions, call the Tarrant County Public Health information line at (817) 248-6299.

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