Austin ISD Students will get election day off. District leaders say this will not impact the number of days or time students spend learning.
AISD says this will also help keep campuses that are being used as polling locations less crowed on election day.
Education Austin supports the decision saying it’ll also benefit District staffers.
Official statement:
The Austin ISD Board of Trustees approved an update to the 2020-21 school year calendar, changing the Oct. 12 student holiday to Election Day, Nov. 3.
To accommodate a student holiday for Election Day, the district moved the professional development day, previously scheduled for Monday, Oct. 12, to Nov. 3, federally recognized Election Day.
This change will not affect the number of instructional days or the daily instructional time for students. A student holiday for Election Day will decrease the number of people on campuses that may potentially be used as voting sites for the general election. It will also encourage a lower capacity for a campus and allow for greater social distancing for voters to assist in limiting the spread of COVID-19.
Election Day in the United States is held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. For the 2020 election, it will be Tuesday, Nov. 3. Campuses within AISD have traditionally been used as polling sites on this day, increasing the number of people on and around a campus and limiting the use of the school building by students and staff.
