Ice and snow on the roads, in parking lots and on walkways is melting. Dallas-Fort Worth school districts decide if it’s enough for kids to return to school. Dallas ISD says no.
By Jessica Ma and Carol Taylor
Staff Writers
Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer
After a winter storm hit Dallas-Fort Worth over the weekend and led North Texas schools to cancel class, several districts are starting to announce that they will remain closed Thursday.
Many schools and universities canceled class Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. While sunnier skies returned Wednesday afternoon, helping to melt ice on roads, some districts determined that conditions still did not seem safe enough to have students return to classrooms.
Districts, including Dallas ISD, Argyle ISD, Lake Dallas ISD and Lewisville ISD, as well as many Collin County school districts will remain closed Thursday. Others, like Lancaster ISD and Arlington ISD, will open.
Here’s what we know about which schools will stay closed and which will open.
Dallas ISD
Dallas ISD said it will keep schools closed Thursday out of an abundance of caution, and crews were working “around the clock” to clear walkways and parking lots.
It also said that that despite significant improvements in road conditions, “many neighborhood streets and sidewalks remain difficult to navigate, particularly for our buses.”
Allen ISD
Allen schools and district offices will remain closed Thursday. Kids Club is canceled.
Anna ISD
Anna ISD will be closed Thursday. The district said it will announce a plan for make-up days at a later date.
The makeup days will not creep into spring break, the district said, “as we know that has been a question.”
Argyle ISD
Argyle ISD said schools and district facilities will remain closed on Thursday “due to continued hazardous road and campus conditions across the district.” After-school activities for Thursday are canceled.
Arlington ISD
The district said it will resume classes on Thursday.
Aubrey ISD
All campuses and offices will remain closed Thursday.
The district cited “the thickness of ice and lack of thawing conditions leading to unsafe travel, especially in rural areas of our district.”
Azle ISD
Azle schools will remain closed Thursday. “While many of the major roadways are safe to travel,” the district said, “even after a full day of sunshine and above freezing temperatures, there are still several roads and neighborhoods that are unsafe to travel.”
Birdville ISD
The district will be open Thursday.
Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
Carrollton-Farmers Branch schools will remain closed Thursday.
Cedar Hill ISD
All school campuses and facilities will be open Thursday, and buses will run at their normal times.
“We will be monitoring road conditions early in the morning to ensure roads remain safe for our buses, parents, and student drivers,” the district said.
Celina ISD
The district will remain closed Thursday.
Corsicana ISD
School will resume classes Thursday.
Decatur ISD
The district will keep its campuses closed the rest of the week. Friday was previously designated as a student and staff holiday.
Duncanville ISD
Duncanville schools will be open Thursday. “As you plan your morning commute, allow additional time, drive carefully, and travel safely,” the district said.
Crandall ISD
Schools will open and start at their regular time Thursday.
Crowley ISD
Schools will be open Thursday.
Denton ISD
Denton ISD will remain closed Thursday.
DeSoto ISD
District campuses and offices will reopen Thursday.
Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD
Schools will remain closed Thursday.
Ennis ISD
All classes will be in session Thursday.
Everman ISD
Everman ISD schools will be open on Thursday.
Farmersville ISD
Officials in the Collin County district announced schools would remain closed Thursday.
Ferris ISD
Ferris ISD schools will start at 10 a.m. Thursday. Buses will run on a two hour delay. The district will resume a normal schedule Friday.
Forney ISD
Forney ISD schools will be open Thursday.
Fort Worth ISD
Fort Worth ISD classes will be in session.
“We can’t wait to see smiling faces in the hallways, hear the buzz of learning again, and get back to the routines,” the district said in a Facebook post.
Frisco ISD
Frisco schools will remain closed Thursday.
Garland ISD
The district announced Wednesday evening that Garland schools will remain closed Thursday “because many neighborhood roads and school areas are still unsafe, especially for school buses.”
Grand Prairie ISD
in a reversal, Grand Prairie schools and district offices will remain closed Thursday. The district initial announced late Wednesday afternoon that it would reopen. Then changed its mind later in the evening.
“After further assessment, Grand Prairie ISD has made the decision to CLOSE tomorrow, Thursday, January 29,” the district said on social media. “Thank you for your understanding. Stay safe!”
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
The district will reopen Thursday, and schools will follow a regular schedule.
Harmony Public Schools
All Harmony Public Schools–North Texas schools and facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area will remain closed Thursday. Harmony schools on the Waco area will resume classes Thursday.
Highland Park ISD
All HPISD schools and offices will remain closed Thursday, the district said, “due to staff mobility and childcare considerations.”
Irving ISD
The district will be open on Thursday.
Kaufman ISD
Schools will be open Thursday and start at their normal times.
Keller ISD
Keller schools will remain closed Thursday.
Krum ISD
Krum ISD schools will remain closed Thursday.
Lake Dallas ISD
The district will remain closed on Thursday. Despite the gradual warming, “lingering ice remains” on the streets, the district said in a social media post.
“These conditions continue to create unsafe driving conditions for LDISD buses, students, staff, and families, particularly during morning travel,” it said.
Lake Worth ISD
District schools will reopen Thursday.
Lancaster ISD
The district will open schools on Thursday morning.
While most streets and campus areas are clear of ice, snow and ice may remain in some isolated areas, the district said in a news release. These areas will be “clearly blocked off” to help ensure safety.
Lewisville ISD
All LISD campuses and facilities will continue to be closed Thursday “out of an abundance of caution.”
Little Elm ISD
Schools will remain closed Thursday.
Lovejoy ISD
All Lovejoy schools and administration will remain closed Thursday. Extra-curricular activities and events will be rescheduled or canceled unless otherwise communicated.
Mansfield ISD
The district will reopen Thursday. Officials said that road conditions can vary cross the district and “some areas still have a significant amount of slushy ice.” The district said a delayed start was not an option because of bus schedules and various programs.
It will work with campuses when it comes to absences and safety concerns.
“Families and employees should always make the decision that feels safest for them,” the district said in a social media post, “and we encourage you to consider conditions in your area and along your route when deciding whether to travel to school or work.”
McKinney ISD
The district will remain closed Thursday.
Melissa ISD
District schools will remain closed Thursday.
Mesquite ISD
All schools will be open Thursday, and the district will operate on a normal schedule.
Midlothian ISD
Midlothian schools and offices will reopen Thursday on a two-hour delay for both students and staff, the district said. Buses will operate on a two-hour delay.
Northwest ISD
Classes are canceled Thursday. All schools and facilities will remain closed. The district plans to resume classes Friday.
Plano ISD
Plano schools will remain closed Thursday.
Princeton ISD
Schools will remain closed Thursday.
Prosper ISD
Prosper schools will be closed Thursday.
Red Oak ISD
School will be open Thursday for normal school and work hours.
Richardson ISD
Richardson schools and offices will remain closed Thursday. Richardson ISD is 46 square miles, the district noted.
“A full closure is required whenever safe travel cannot be ensured on all roads and throughout every neighborhood,” the district said in a social media post.
Rockwall ISD
Rockwall ISD schools and support offices will remain closed Thursday. The district said that “although road conditions are improving, many residential areas, campus sidewalks, and parking lots remain unsafe.”
Royse City ISD
The district remains closed Thursday. In a social media post, Royse City ISD said bus lanes and parking lots had not thawed out.
Our decision is based on concerns for bus routes that include secondary roads (neighborhood streets, bridges, and shaded areas) where melting has been minimal, as well as the safety of our student and parent drivers who may encounter icy or hazardous conditions during the morning commute and drop-off,” the district said.
Sanger ISD
Schools will remain closed Thursday.
Scurry-Rosser ISD
Scurry-Rosser ISD schools will open on a delayed schedule Thursday, January 29. School will begin at 10:00 a.m. Buses will run on a two-hour delay.
Southlake Carroll ISD
Carroll ISD schools will be open Thursday.
Sunnyvale ISD
The district will reopen its schools Thursday. Sunnyvale ISD said it is monitoring conditions and if it finds a delayed start is warranted, an announcement will be made by 5:30 a.m.
Terrell ISD
Terrell schools will start two hours late Thursday. Buses will operate on a two-hour delay.
Van Alstyne ISD
The district will remain closed Thursday.
Waxahachie ISD
Waxahachie ISD campuses and offices will be open Thursday.
Weatherford ISD
Weatherford ISD schools and offices will stay closed Thursday.
White Settlement ISD
Schools will remain closed Thursday. The district acknowledged that this may be “inconvenient” for families, but “many side streets, parking lots, sidewalks, etc. remain unsafe.”
Wills Point ISD
District schools will start on a two-hour delay Thursday.
Wylie ISD
District schools and offices will remain closed Thursday. Wylie ISD said it plans to apply for a waiver from the Texas Education Agency for the missed school days.
Colleges and universities
Collin College
Collin College campuses will remain closed Thursday. All classes and activities are canceled.
Dallas College
All locations will remain closed Thursday, and classes and services will remain online.
Staying closed will “allow additional time for walkways and parking areas to be fully cleared following the icy winter conditions.” Dallas College said.
Tarrant County College
Some campuses will remain closed Thursday while others will open, TCC announced.
TCC South and Northwest campuses and offices will be closed Thursday. In-person classes and services are remote.
For TCC South and Northwest campuses, classes and services will be remote. Employees are expected to work remotely.
Southern Methodist University
In-person classes and normal campus operations will resume Thursday, SMU said on its website.
Texas Christian University
Normal university operations will resume Thursday, TCU said.
Texas Wesleyan University
The university said it expects to resume a normal schedule Thursday.
Texas Woman’s University
The TWU Dallas and Denton campuses will remain closed Thursday. Remote work and teaching will continue for faculty, staff and students, the university said.
University of North Texas
UNT’s Denton and Frisco campuses will reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday. Classes will start at 12:30 p.m.
UNT Dallas will open Thursday, with in-person classes starting at 10 a.m.
University of Texas at Arlington
UTA will resume normal operations on Thursday. The university said parking on campus may be impacted and urged caution while commuting.
University of Texas at Dallas
The UTD campus will remain closed Thursday so the university can make repairs from storm related damage.
“Although road conditions have improved across much of the region, the severity of the winter storm has impacted heating and plumbing in a number of buildings on campus,” UTD said. Keeping in-person classes and activities suspended will allow time for repairs.
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This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
