The Texas Education Agency (TEA) pulled back on health guidance for schools in the state to reopen this week, after the Texas Tribune found draft documents on the TEA website, according to a June 23 report by the El Paso Times.

Those draft recommendations included separating desks by six feet, requiring face masks for students and staff members and supervised hand washing for students. Those public health guidelines were mistakenly posted, according to TEA, and the agency told the Texas Tribune that they were still asking for feedback on the guidance.

Education Commissioner Mike Morath said that it would be safe for public school students, teachers and staff to return to campuses this fall for public instruction, according to the El Paso Times.

The draft guidance calls for students and staff to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms. Taking their own temperatures is a part of that, and it was suggested that districts screen students for symptoms weekly. Those who have a positive test or have symptoms must stay home, and districts are required to notify the campus community and local health officials of positive results, the now-removed public guidance stated.

The TEA did not give the El Paso Times or Texas Tribune a date for the release of final health guidance. The school year is set to begin in late July and early August for students in El Paso and the surrounding communities. Students have attended classes remotely since March, when schools were closed in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On June 23, there were more than 47,000 active cases of COVID-19 across the state of Texas, and 1,250 active cases in El Paso County.

TEA did publish attendance guidelines that gave districts options. Those that don’t use in-person instruction can use live virtual instruction, prerecorded videos or provide paper packets for students to complete their work.