2020-2021 Instructional Learning Environments

The 2020-21 school year began with all students learning remotely from August 12 through Labor Day. Families chose either the face-to-face or the school@home (remote) learning environment for their students. At the senior high and high school levels, students are learning in cohorts that include face-to-face and school@home learning environments. Hybrid scheduling in 10th-12th grades provides social distancing to the greatest extent possible for students and staff.

While we have planned for face-to-face, school@home and hybrid (high school and senior high) instructional environments, please know that we will follow recommendations for school opening and operations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local health officials. As adjustments may be necessary throughout the coming school year, it will be our priority to keep our community informed of those changes and updates. 

Learning environments are:

Elementary through Middle School

• Face-to-face: Elementary through middle school students and teachers attend class in-person, five days a week, with additional safety measures in alignment with state and federal guidelines and recommendations.
• PISD school@home: Elementary through middle school students, who made the school@home selection, will learn remotely. Remote learning consists of both synchronous (live) and asynchronous instruction.
  • Note: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has issued guidance that allows school districts to discontinue remote instruction to individual students struggling with grades or attendance. (read more) 

High School through Senior High School*

High school and senior high students, regardless of the learning environment they have chosen, will follow a hybrid schedule. 

• Face-to-face hybrid: High school and senior high students will attend class in-person, two days per week with their cohort group and will learn remotely the remaining three days.
• PISD school@home hybrid: High school and senior high students that have selected PISD school@home (remote learning) are also placed into learning cohorts for the purposes of synchronous and asynchronous learning lessons.

* Please note this adjustment to the high school/senior high school cohort B calendar: Monday, December 14, has been designated as a day for cohort B students (last names beginning with M-Z) to attend school (for face-to-face) or participate in synchronous learning (for School@Home). This day has been switched with Friday, December 18 for cohort B in order to ensure both cohorts A and B participate in synchronous instruction the same number of minutes during the final week of the grading period. (Friday, December 18, is now an asynchronous learning day for both cohorts A and B.)

We value each of our students and families and appreciate the trust you have placed in our school system. 

Learn more about the Plano ISD asynchronous instruction plan.