Visit the ESSER funding programs page to see our Safe Return to Instruction Plan as well as plans for using the ESSER grants to address the significant impact on student learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 & school operations
Use this page as a starting point to see status updates/announcements, resources and other information about school operations impacted by COVID-19.
GISD Director of Health Services shares information about rapid testing and other COVID-19 resources.
ESSER funding plans
Updates and announcements
9/10/21 Update: SB15 and ICON Virtual School
Dear Garland ISD Families:
Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB15 legislation into law Thursday, Sept. 9. This allows GISD to open the ICON Virtual School program for kindergarten through sixth grade. SB15 would fund and accredit ICON, under specific guidelines. Please note that Pre-K is not eligible for fully funded remote learning under SB15. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently released an update on SB15. Please review this important information online at TEA Senate Bill Update.
We believe in keeping all families and staff informed during this process. Garland ISD’s Department of Innovation has been working to modify the ICON Virtual School program. As soon as the program is finalized, an application will be made available.
The following bullets indicate ICON eligibility, based on the rules established by SB15:
- Students in eligible grades who were enrolled in face-to-face learning for at least 50% of the 2020-21 school year and are currently in good standing with 90% or better attendance.
- Students who are medically fragile.
- Students who have been placed in a remote learning setting by an Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) Committee.
- Students in eligible grades who were enrolled in remote instruction for at least 50% of the 2020-21 school year and are currently in good standing with 90% or better attendance and meet the requirements below:
- 70 or above in core classes in the 2020-21 school year
- Passed STAAR/EOC in the 2020-21 school year
- Demonstrate grade-level proficiency on a different assessment that shows grade-level proficiency in the Texas curriculum
We are excited to have the opportunity to offer the ICON Virtual School program to our families. Please see additional important information, including frequently asked questions, on our district website at garlandisd.net/virtualschool.
Thank you for your support and cooperation throughout this process.
Sincerely,
GISD Administration
Previous updates
See the COVID-19 archive page for all previous updates.