Earlier, TEA put out guidance indicating there would be no funding for non-TXVSN remote instruction, with the exception of 2 weeks, based upon COVID positivity. In order to provide this, districts were required to comply with somewhat burdensome procedural
hurdles that caused many districts to decide they would go back to work packets. The guidance on Remote Instruction that is not provided by the TXVSN is unchanged, but TEA is adding new provisions to the Attendance and Accounting Handbook to allow for Instruction by “Remote Conferencing.”  What is this fine specimen you may ask? Well, it looks a lot like Remote Instruction with some of the procedural hurdles removed that will permit school districts to utilize it and
generate funding.Â
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Remote Conferencing--Regular Education Students
 The new provision, 12.3.1 to be included in the Attendance and Accounting Handbook for Regular Education Students are as follows:
• The student is unable to attend school because of a temporary medical condition.
• The total amount of remote conferencing instruction does not exceed more than 20 instructional days over the entirety of the school year.
In addition, one of the following must be met:
• The student’s temporary medical condition is documented by a physician licensed to  practice in the United States. The documentation must include a statement from the  physician that the student is to remain confined to their home or to a hospital.
• The student is being excluded from on campus attendance because of a test result,  formal diagnosis, or suspicion of having a communicable condition, as outlined in 25 TAC  §97.7, and the conditions for readmission outlined therein have not yet been met.
• The student has been identified as a close contact for COVID-19 either by public health,  by the school, or by the parent.
The instruction is limited to 20 days. If more than 20 days is required, districts are required to seek individual waivers, which include an explanation of the circumstances requiring more than 20 days, which will be granted on a case by case basis.Â
Funding Generation
Students participating through remote conferencing will generate attendance in the following ways:
• Students in grades pre-K to five must receive the equivalent of four hours of instruction with at least 2 hours of synchronous instruction each school day. This instruction does not need to be consecutive.
• Students in grades six to 12 must receive at least four hours of instruction through synchronous instruction each school day. This instruction does not need to be consecutive.
Additionally, attendance will be generated based on whether the student is virtually “present” at the official attendance-taking time. Instruction must be provided synchronously, which means two-way, real-time/live virtual instruction between teachers and
students. The instruction cannot be concurrent, which means remote students must not be taught by a teacher who is also teaching in-person students at the same time.
Special Education Students
Special education students may participate in remote conferencing instruction if the student’s ARD committee determines remote instruction is required for the provision of FAPE and the ARD committee documents that determination in the student’s IEP. For
Homebound instruction and special education Homebound instruction, the procedures for documentation and eligibility for Homebound instruction should be followed.Â
 Additional information regarding these provisions may be found at remote-conferencing-faq.pdf(texas.gov)  Should questions
arise regarding these provisions, contact Sara Leon & Associates, PLLC.
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