Back to School

We have heard the voices of our families, local and state health experts, the Texas Education Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the American Association of Pediatrics and other experts, and together, we are navigating this new normal with the lens of our three guiding principles. We commit to:

1. Protect the health of our students, staff, and families to the fullest extent possible
2. Show care for our entire Team & Family so we can thrive in our new normal
3. Provide our KIPPsters with an academically excellent, joyful, and equitable learning experience with a consistent focus on our North Star of college readiness regardless of whether we are inside or outside of our school buildings

We will do our best in every moment of every day and around every corner to mitigate risk and keep our KIPPsters and each other safe. We will get through this together. Please see our Family Back-to-School Guide for our detailed plans of how we’re starting the 2020-2021 school year and our At a Glance Guide for an overview.

To view case counts by school and region, click here.

See below for announcements and resources related to the KIPP Texas School Restart plans.

Statewide Announcements

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Statewide Resources

Family Services

Food Assistance

Career Opportunities & Unemployment Support

  • Texas Workforce Commission – Provides information for COVID-19 FAQ, unemployment benefits, employers, jobseekers, self-employed and child care.

Family Services

  • Intercultural Development Research Association – In partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in San Antonio helps Mexican and Mexican American families navigate the U.S. education system and learn about important educational opportunities in both countries.
  • U.S. Government – The administration’s response to COVID-19. Topics cover health and safety, travel, immigration and transportation, money and taxes.

Financial Assistance

  • American GI Forum – Provides veterans, their families, and other needy populations with services to achieve sustainable housing and meaningful careers.
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – Tips on how to protect yourself financially from the impact of the coronavirus.
  • Federal Finance Housing Agency – The agency has suspended evictions and foreclosures on any mortgages through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Some private lenders are also offering loan assistance programs, including Chase Bank  and Wells Fargo.
  • IRS (Internal Revenue Service) – Tax Day has been extended until July 15, free of interest and penalties.  Information about the IRS economic impact payments can be found here.
  • Military OneSource – This Department of Defense-funded program provides members of the military 24/7 access to information, answers and support for tax services, spouse employment help, webinars and online training, relocation and deployment tools, and much more.
  • U.S. Department of Education – Announced federal student loan payments have been placed on hold until September 30 and select loans will carry a zero percent interest rate.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration – Provides COVID-19 small business guidance and loan resources.

Fitness

  • Daily Burn – Offering free 30-trial membership with thousands of different workout videos.
  • Nike – Offering on-demand class-style workouts, programs, and expert tips on nutrition, sleep, and more with free access to Nike Training Club Premium to all Nike Members until further notice.
  • Peloton – Offering a 90-day free trial to fitness classes.

Health & Wellness

  • Anxiety & Depression Association of America – Provides a COVID-19 Lockdown Guide: How to Manage Anxiety and Isolation During Quarantine.
  • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – Provides resources on how you can learn to plan, prepare, and cope with stress before and during a COVID-19 outbreak.
  • FamilyWize – Offers free pharmacy discount card, whether or not you have health insurance coverage.  CVS and Walgreens pharmacies are providing free delivery of prescription medications.
  • Mindheart – Is offering a free, printable book for families with young children to discuss the full range of emotions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The book is available in several languages.
  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) -The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization has created a COVID-19 resource and information guide.
  • National Alliance for Caregiving – Provides COVID-19 resources for caregivers.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline – Available for anyone affected by abuse and needing support at 1-800-799-7233 or thehotline.org.  You can also text LOVEIS to 22522.

Internet Assistance

  • Sprint – Offering unlimited data to existing customers and access to hotspots for 60 days at no extra charge.
  • T-Mobile – Offering unlimited data to existing customers and access to hotspots for 60 days at no extra charge.
  • Verizon – No special offers, but the company is following Federal Communications Commission agreements by waiving late fees and not disconnecting existing service.

Austin Announcements

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Austin Resources

Food Assistance

Financial Assistance

  • City of Austin Emergency Financial Assistance Plus 1 Program – Austin Energy and Austin Water have made $12.8M available to make sure Austinites have the help they need when it comes to paying their utility bill. You could be eligible for emergency financial assistance. Apply now: AustinBillHelp.com
  • City of Austin Utility Bill Relief  – City of Austin has suspended all non-payments during COVID-19. If residents need assistance they can contact Austin Energy.
  • Local Financial Assistance Program and Social Services – Provides help finding rent and housing assistance programs through government agencies, non-profit organizations and charity programs.
  • The City of Austin – Offers resources including eviction prevention and homeless programs that support low-income tenants with legal assistance, emergency grants for rent or utilities, alternate housing, short-term motel vouchers, or placement in a local shelter.

Internet Assistance

  • Spectrum – Offering free internet service for 60 days and open public wifi hotspots for use.

Career Opportunities & Unemployment Support

Family Services

Health & Wellness

Dallas-Fort Worth Announcements

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Dallas-Fort Worth Resources

Food Assistance

Financial Assistance

  • Duncanville Outreach Ministry – Serves people in zip codes 75116 or 75137 or meet The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)/Texas Department of Agriculture income guidelines. The organization also provides assistance with food, clothing, prescriptions, utilities or rent.
  • Grand Prairie Food & Clothing Co-Op -Provides food, clothing and some assistance with rent or utilities for crisis situations only.  Families or individuals may receive help up to three times per year.
  • Tarrant County Department of Human Services – Provides assistance with rent and utilities.

Internet Assistance

  • AT&T – Providing open hotspots and $10 a month plans to low-income families.
  • Charter – Offering free internet for 60 days for new K-12 and college student households.
  • Comcast – Offering free Wi-Fi for 60 days to low-income families and open Xfinity hotspots free to the public.
  • Spectrum – Offering free internet service for 60 days to new customers.

Career Opportunities & Unemployment Support

  • Fort Worth Office of Small Business – Provides COVID-19 information for small businesses.
  • Say Yes to Dallas – Works with the Dallas Regional Chamber to connect displaced workers to job opportunities.
  • Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas – Leverages public and private resources to help transition highly skilled individuals into new careers and assist unemployed and underemployed people find work.  The organization also provides working families with transportation assistance and child care subsidies.

Family Services

  • BestPlace4Kids – Offers resources for individuals employed at “essential businesses” in Tarrant County looking for child care for their children aged zero to 12 years old.
  • Catholic Charities Dallas – Helps improve the quality of life for the community’s most vulnerable people. The agency has helped more than 100 residents at the St. Jude’s Senior Center and provided more than 200 families with financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Presbyterian Night Shelter – Provides free access to safe shelter and a warm meal. The organization helps break the cycle of homelessness through housing assistance, support services and employment opportunities.
  • SafeHaven of Tarrant County – Provides food, shelter, child care and domestic-violence assistance.
  • Salvation Army – Provides food, shelter, medical and child care, education, employment transportation and financial assistance.
  • Pathfinders – Provides employment, transportation, financial assistance and financial coaching.
  • Oak Cliff Churches for Emergency Aid  – Distributes food and financial aid to those living in the Oak Cliff community.

Health & Wellness

  • ACH Child and Family Services – Providing free crisis counseling for families with children. All services are available virtually during this time.
  • Center for Transforming Lives  -Operating shelter services on site as well as child care centers for children of essential personnel.  Also conducting case management, mental health and coaching services remotely.

Houston Announcements

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Houston Resources

Food Assistance

  • Houston Food Bank
  • Houston Food Pantries – Provides listings of pantries and information on: food closets, food banks, soup kitchens, congregate meal locations, food boxes, vouchers, etc.
  • KIPP Texas Grab and Go Meal Distribution Sites- Provides breakfast and lunch Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. for all students enrolled at KIPP.
  • West Houston Assistance Ministries – Provides free food distribution for anyone   Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. until supplies last. No documentation is needed but individuals may only receive food once every two weeks.

Internet Assistance

  • Access from AT&T – Offering internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month. All AT&T all public Wi-Fi hotspots are open for use.
  • Internet Essentials from Comcast  – Offering 60 days of free service for low-income families. Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots located in businesses and outdoor locations across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers.
  • Cricket Wireless – Adding data to capped and unlimited phone plans for a limited time.  Cricket is automatically adding 10GB of data to capped plans for new and existing customers and an additional 10GB of data for mobile hotspot or smartphone use for two bill cycles.
  • Spectrum Internet Assist – Offering new free access to internet and Wi-Fi for 60 days for new Pre-K to 12, college student and teacher households who don’t currently have internet access.

Career Opportunities & Unemployment Support

  • Workforce Solutions – The public workforce system in the 13-county Houston-Galveston region of Texas. The organization helps employers find candidates and job seekers find employment. They also offer job search and job matching assistance, career counseling and financial aid for education/training or work support.

Family Services

Health & Wellness

  • Behavioral Health Connections– Providing 24 hours a day, seven days a week on demand comprehensive mental health services including mobile assessments, tele-video assessments and psychiatric consultations for patients in medical facilities.
  • NAMI Houston – Offering online peer and  family support support groups to individuals affected by mental illness and their family members.
  • Crisis Intervention Hotline of Houston: Operates free, confidential, anonymous crisis and suicide prevention counseling, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD- Offers a mental health support line 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  If you or a loved one are currently experiencing a mental health or IDD crisis, call  713-970-7000 option 1.
  • Fort Bend County Health & Human Services – Provides assistance with rent/mortgage, utilities, food, medication, emergency shelter and unmet emergency needs.
  • Ready Rosie – Providing a free toolkit to support families with information and resources to support the physical and emotional well-being of their children.
  • Harris County Kids – Providing COVID-19 early childhood resources for children.

San Antonio Announcements

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San Antonio Resources

Food Assistance

  • KIPP Texas San Antonio Grab and Go Meal Distribution Sites– Provides free breakfast and lunch  Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. for all students enrolled at KIPP.
  • San Antonio Food Bank –  Provides free assistance in applying for food, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Children (WIC), (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, etc.
  • San Antonio Food Pantries – Provides listings of food resources includes pantries, food banks, soup kitchens, congregate meal locations, food boxes, vouchers, etc.

Financial Assistance

Internet Assistance

  • Spectrum – Offering free internet for students and teachers for the first two months. Spectrum Wi-Fi hotspots are also currently open and free to use.
  • Access from AT&T – Offering internet service for $5 a month or $10 a month, depending on your speed to households who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Access includes free installation, free in home Wi-Fi and a data allowance of 150GB or 1TB depending on speed available in your area.

Career Opportunities & Unemployment Support

  • Goodwill San Antonio  – Goodwill Good Careers Centers provide free career assistance to anyone seeking employment or a new career.
  • Workforce Solutions Alamo – Provides job seekers with access to programs and services to help find employment. Also provides subsidized child care assistance to eligible families and offers free recruitment and screening services, information on tax incentive programs, labor market information, and training to businesses.

Family Services

  • Alamo Area Resource Center – Provides rental and utility assistance, housing location assistance, free or low cost legal services, assistance in filing for social security, homeless prevention and food stamp applications.
  • Avenida Guadalupe Association – A United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified housing counseling agency providing pre-purchase counseling and education, non-delinquency post-purchase counseling, and mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling (Ready2Own program). The organization also provides financial management and budget counseling services as well as computer classes (Ready2Learn program) and workforce readiness training and seminars (Ready2Work program). All services are free.
  • Bexar County Housing Authority – Housing advice and emergency rental assistance. They also provide information on Section 8.
  • San Antonio Resource Directory is a directory of resources offered by congregations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and compassionate groups in and around San Antonio.
  • United Way of San Antonio – Childcare Assistance – Offering emergency child care assistance for residents who qualify.

Health & Wellness

  • Clarity Child Guidance Center – Provides inpatient and outpatient mental health services for children 3-17 and accepts Medicare.
  • Family Service Association of San Antonio – Helps individuals and families in need.
  • Family Violence Prevention Services – Offers residential and non-residential clients shelter, transitional housing, counseling for adults, children, families, and legal services for individuals and families recovering from domestic violence.
  • San Antonio Parks & Recreation– City park basketball courts, outdoor exercise equipment, playgrounds, skate plazas, pools, splash pads, tennis courts and disk golf courses will be closed and will remain closed following the timeline of the Stay Home, Work Safe order. Dog Parks, trails, bathrooms, and open green space remain open with  social distancing.