AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath says public schools will be open in the fall but there will be flexibility for parents who want to keep their children at home. Texas already allows campuses to hold summer school with social distancing guidelines. Details of a broader re-opening will be released next week. The announcement Thursday comes as Texas faces record highs of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Morath says state officials believe it will be safe to return to school. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott ordered schools closed March 19, sending more than 5 million students into distance learning programs.
