AUSTIN, Texas — Following hours worth of concerns voiced by local parents and teachers in a special meeting on Thursday evening, the Austin ISD Board of Trustees has pushed back the start date for the 2020 school year to Sept. 8.
Although pleased about the new start date, middle school math teacher Kristi Mellerski said there's still more work to be done for students.
"I just think the biggest thing is about access," she said. "It took a pandemic to get students to access that they've deserved for years and still some students don't have what they need to succeed in online learning."
An AISD parent, Erin Dismore has a daughter going into second grade and a son going into kindergarten.
"My daughter in particular is really ready to go back to school, so this news is not the best for her perspective but we are really trying to explain that we are healthy and making it to where other people can stay healthy too," said Dismore
Calling the new start date a victory, Ken Zarifis with Education Austin said so far the district has been listening to the union.