To close or stay open? Ahead of the eclipse, Texas schools weighed logistical hurdles versus learning opportunities

By Annie Xia, The Texas Tribune “To close or stay open? Ahead of the eclipse, Texas schools weighed logistical hurdles versus learning opportunities” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Next Monday, Denise Crettenden and her husband plan to hustle their fifth- and tenth-grade daughters out of bed around 4 a.m., about three hours earlier than they’re used to. Instead of driving to school two minutes away, the family of four will travel two hours to the tiny town of Kerrville’s eclipse festival, where they hope to experience more than four minutes of eclipse totality with thousands of other visitors. Crettenden’s kids will not be cutting class. Seguin Independent School District, along with several other Texas districts in the eclipse’s path, has scheduled April 8 off because of the astronomical event. Swaths of Texas, including big cities like Austin and Dallas, sit within the path of totality, when the moon will completely block the sun. According to NASA, the rare solar event will not happen again for 20 years — and likely not in the state for centuries....