Texas classrooms closed for remainder of 2019-2020 school year

Governor Greg Abbott says Texas classrooms will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

“The team of doctors advising us have determined that it would be unsafe to allow students together in schools for the foreseeable future,” Gov. Abbott said.

The closure includes public, private and higher education institutions.

WATCH GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S PRESS CONFERENCE LIVE

He says teachers will be allowed in the classroom for video instruction, if they choose, to perform administrative duties or to clean up their classrooms.

For public schools, Governor Abbott says the TEA Commissioner Mike Morath will soon provide more details about how to proceed and will explore how to conduct graduation ceremonies.

For higher education institutions, Commissioner Harrison Keller will provide advice to colleges and universities about how to conclude programs this semester and how to operate semesters this coming summer.

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Governor Abbott made the announcement during a press conference Friday in which he also outlined several executive orders to reopen businesses in the state and get Texans back to work in stages as a response to COVID-19.

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