To attract quality teachers and compete with larger districts with higher pay or local districts that offer a 4-Day school week. Research is showing districts that have a 4-Day instructional week are able to fill positions with high-quality teachers and support staff. Hiring and retaining the highest quality teachers and support staff will increase the effectiveness of instruction and promote student success.

Potential benefits of a 4-day school week may include improved attendance rates, enhanced student and teacher morale, and increased opportunities for extracurricular activities or family time on the additional day off. Some districts have reported higher attendance and engagement levels following the transition to a four-day week. If student attendance improves, their academic performance will as well.

Texas requires a minimum of 75,600 minutes of instructional time in a school year. Generally, the district will build in extra minutes to accommodate for bad weather or emergencies. There are 76,320 annual instructional minutes in the 4 Day School Work calendar option, with 159 full instructional days for students, at 480 minutes each day.

No, the start and end times will be the same throughout the entire school year to provide consistency for families and staff.

Yes, the District will work with our community partners to ensure that the weeks that students don't attend school on Monday, that an extra day of food is provided.

The district is working with our current after school provider IZone, as well as the YMCA to come up with a plan for Mondays where the District is closed as well as after school care.  Both proposals will be carefully vetted to ensure we are providing the most affordable enriched program for our families.  There will be scholarship opportunities for families in need as well as reduced rates for those that qualify for free and reduced meals.

Students receiving special education services will be served the same way they are served under a traditional 5-day calendar. If the 4-day school week pilot is implemented, all special education services—including resource support, inclusion, self-contained classrooms, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other related services—will continue as outlined in students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

We will look at the following data to determine if it is successful or not:

• Student academic achievement data
• Student enrollment numbers and attendance rates
• Employee attendance rates
• Employee retention rate
• Numbers of certified and highly qualified applicants for each open position
• Parent, student, and staff climate surveys

To attract quality teachers and compete with larger districts with higher pay or local districts that offer a 4-Day school week. Research is showing districts that have a 4-Day instructional week are able to fill positions with high-quality teachers and support staff. Hiring and retaining the highest quality teachers and support staff will increase the effectiveness of instruction and promote student success.

Additionally, an increase in student and staff morale. Families and students in other districts are content with the change citing more family time, more time to rest, and time to catch up if needed.

No, the proposed pilot calendar option for 2025-2026 is similar to the traditional KISD calendar with the first day of instruction for students being the second week of August, and the last day of instruction ending before Memorial Day.

Piloting the 4 Day School Week in the Spring allows for staff, students, and families to adjust to the schedule versus jumping in for the entire school year.  The intent is to transition to a 4 Day School Week beginning in 2026-2027.

No, staff will not be required to attend work on the days indicated District Closed.

One Monday per month is a scheduled day for staff for professional learning, planning, and work time (grading, lesson preparation, etc.). There will be a schedule sent to staff before school begins for specific days that are protected for just planning and the days that will be used for district training and professional learning.

No, teacher and support staff pay will not be decreased. With fewer workdays, the daily rate for a teacher will however increase to align with the employment dates schedule.  The current pilot calendar option has teachers working a schedule of 175 days. 

No, staff will continue to receive 5 state days and 5 local days for leave for the 2025-2026 school year.

No, staff will not be required to earn Flex Time.

Daily hours may be based on the arrival and dismissal of students. Teachers are exempt employees; therefore, they have contract days and not a set amount of hours per day. This may include before or after school tutoring, faculty meetings, ARDs, parent-teacher conferences etc.

No, the start and end times will be the same throughout the entire school year to provide consistency for families and staff.