Jul 17, 2020 - Health

Texas asks schools to hold online-only classes through November

Jacob Knutson

Medical workers handling coronavirus test samples in Houston on July 17. Photo: Go Nakamura/Getty Images

Texas on Friday gave public schools the ability to offer online-only instruction for up to the first eight weeks of the school year to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, AP reports.

Why it matters: Texas has effectively shut down campuses across the state until November. The Trump administration has threatened to withhold funding from schools that do not fully reopen at the start of the academic year, although it's not clear what authority it has to unilaterally do so.

By the numbers: Texas reported 10,256 new cases and 174 new fatalities from coronavirus on Friday, its highest single-day casualty count since the start of the pandemic.

Over the past five days, 543 people in the state have died from coronavirus, while 10,632 are currently hospitalized for the virus.

The big picture: California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also announced guidance for public schools on Friday.

California schools in high-risk counties cannot reopen for in-person learning unless their risk status has been downgraded by the California health department for two consecutive weeks.

Go deeper: The coming political brawl over reopening schools

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Texas asks schools to hold online-only classes through November

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