Winter’s icy grip has forced the closure of schools across Texas, with districts from Dallas to San Antonio shutting their doors as sleet and snow blanketed much of the state.
Nearly all North Texas school districts announced they would remain closed Monday, with many extending closures through Tuesday as freezing conditions persisted. Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD — the region’s largest districts — are among those keeping campuses shuttered for at least two days, Fox 4 confirmed.
San Antonio Area Closures
In South Texas, the situation isn’t much better. Multiple San Antonio area districts announced complete closures for Monday, including Boerne ISD, Comal ISD, North East ISD, and Northside ISD. “All schools will be closed. Classes canceled,” Texas Public Radio quoted from Boerne ISD’s announcement, reflecting the straightforward approach most districts took when informing parents of the situation.
The closures come as little surprise to parents who woke up to icy conditions Sunday morning, with forecasts predicting continued freezing temperatures throughout Monday.
Central Texas Impact
Austin and surrounding communities have also shuttered schools. Austin ISD, Leander ISD, and Round Rock ISD all canceled Monday classes, while smaller districts like Mason ISD opted for two-hour delayed starts instead. The winter weather’s reach extended to higher education as well, with the University of Texas at Austin among the colleges that suspended operations.
How bad are conditions? Bad enough that officials across the state urged residents to stay home if possible, with icy roads creating treacherous driving conditions even in regions that rarely see such severe winter weather.
For parents scrambling to make childcare arrangements, the timing couldn’t be worse — coming at the start of a work week with little advance notice. Many districts used social media and emergency notification systems to alert families as quickly as possible.
While some rural districts may attempt to reopen with delays on Tuesday, urban districts appear to be taking a more cautious approach, waiting for temperatures to rise enough to melt ice on roadways and school parking lots.
As Texas shivers through this unusual cold snap, the state’s school children are getting an unexpected break — though they’ll likely have to make up these days later in the school year when memories of this freeze have long melted away.
