TEA Announces Graduation Guidelines For 2020

SAN ANGELO, TX – On Tuesday, May 5th the Texas Education Agency announced a comprehensive graduation ceremony guide for Texas schools.

The agency outlined ” four different pathways for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors.” The TEA has approved virtual, hybrid, vehicle, and outdoor in-person ceremonies using the following guidelines.

Completely Virtual Ceremonies: 

• Ceremonies that take place entirely online, with the use of video conference or other technologies.

Hybrid Ceremonies

• Consist of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups beginning May 15.
• The total number of individuals within close proximity during video filming/photos must not exceed five.
• Bathrooms, doorknobs, and other commonly touched surfaces must be frequently cleaned and sanitized.

Vehicle Ceremonies

• Students and their families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at a time with their families alongside them beginning May 15.
• Members of the same household (five individuals or fewer, excluding the graduate) may be present in a vehicle with the graduate.

Outdoor In-Person Ceremonies

• Between May 15 and May 31, 2020 – an outdoor ceremony may take place in a rural county that has an attestation as described in the “Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas” (April 27, 2020) that remains in effect 7 days before the ceremony.
• An outdoor ceremony may take place in any Texas county on or after June 1. This permission is subject to change as underlying public health conditions change.
• School systems must cap the number of total participants (inclusive of students, families, and staff) to a level that can be managed in the outdoor venue to maximize social distancing, both during the event and during entry and exit.
• Schools using non-school facilities to perform graduation or end-of-year promotion ceremonies must ensure compliance as if the non-school facility were a school and as authorized by this guidance.
• Keep 6 feet or more of spacing between all participants, except that members of the same household (five individuals or fewer, excluding the graduate if seated with the household) may be allowed to sit together in the audience but must be at least 6 feet away from any other family group at all times.
• School employees must be stationed appropriately to ensure compliance with all requirements and to limit the congregation.
• Assigned seating for members of the audience should be considered to more efficiently ensure separation between household groups.
• Specific plans should be developed for arrivals and departures to ensure appropriate social distancing.

All ceremonies that include person-to-person must follow the following guidelines:

• School employees, students, and parents must comply with the guidance on Minimum Standard Health Protocols on Visits to Schools During Campus Closures except as authorized by this guidance. Schools using non-school facilities to perform graduation, or end-of-year promotion ceremonies must ensure compliance as if the non-school facility were a school and as authorized by this guidance.

• Before participating, individuals must be screened (via questioning) by school system employees for any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19. Those found with any of these signs or symptoms must be excluded from the activity.
• Hand sanitizer or hand washing stations must be available at all venue entrances.
• Consistent with the actions taken by many institutions across the state, consider having all participants wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth) if they will come within 6 feet of another person who is not a member of that person’s household, except when photos are taken. If available, they should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.
• Diplomas or other documents may not be handed from person to person unless gloves and masks are worn at all times.
• Care should be taken and effort must be made to mitigate virus exposure when participants come into contact with documents and other objects such as diplomas and awards.
• No rehearsals will be permitted.
• A robust communication plan must be in place to address steps to be taken before, during, and after the ceremony to ensure that participants are aware of safety protocols at the ceremony and explicit instructions to graduates or promoting students not to congregate outside of school-sponsored ceremonies or events.
• School employees at the ceremony must be limited to the minimum number needed to logistically support the ceremony.
• School officials should communicate with students’ families before the ceremony to determine how many family members will be attending so they can plan appropriately to implement social distancing measures, logistics, and other safety measures.
• Students and parents (or legal guardians) must comply with the guidance on Student Non-Instructional Visits except as authorized by this guidance.