Dear TCTA member,

With the number of COVID-19 cases in Texas increasing and President Trump extending social distancing guidelines limiting gatherings of 10 or more through April 30, we anticipate that many districts across the state will shift to online and distance learning for the rest of the school year.

Districts should provide information to their teachers and other staff regarding specific technology and programs to be used.  To help you with the transition, we've compiled some resources for teaching online , including free webinars and links to apps that can help you connect with students. You'll also find links to information about making materials accessible for students with disabilities who need specialized learning plans.

The Texas Computer Education Association has made many of its resources for teaching online available to TCTA members. Every day through April 10, TCEA is adding free webinars about technology and teaching. The first offerings include how to use Zoom, Google Classroom and other Google tools. TCEA is also offering free memberships to unlock more resources. We appreciate their expertise and generosity. Click here for TCEA's remote learning website.

For those already engaged in distance learning, TEA offered tips for paper packet distribution to help educators and students stay safe.

For other COVID-19 concerns, check out our FAQ , which we're updating as we receive new information from TEA, the U.S. Department of Education and other state and federal officials. Today, we added information about sharing personal cellphone numbers with students and parents. Click here for that guidance.

If you have specific questions, please call us at 888-879-8282 . TCTA's staff attorneys are available to assist members from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. You also can reach us through the Ask-A-Lawyer portal for general inquiries.