It looks like long summers for students in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) are now a thing of the past. The Board of Managers has approved the 2024-2025 academic calendar, which will extend the school year by eight days.
The first day of school for students will be August 12, 2024, and the last day of school for students will be June 4, 2025. The calendar also includes a week off at Thanksgiving, a two-week winter break, and week-long spring break. In addition, there are holidays and professional development days. Because of the earlier start date, HISD will provide students with more than a week of additional instruction before important spring assessments including STAAR, AP, and IB exams.
The District Advisory Committee, Principal Advisory Committee, and Teacher Advisory Committee previewed four potential academic calendars and provided thoughtful input that influenced the creation of two draft calendars for the HISD community to weigh in on. HISD then sent a survey to the community, and more than 4,000 employees, HISD families, and others provided feedback. That feedback directly informed the final calendar that was proposed to the Board and approved.
“We know that the school calendar impacts the lives of many families, so I am glad that HISD implemented a process this year that allowed for significant input from the community,” said HISD Board President Audrey Momanaee. “We want to thank those who shared their thoughts and comments with us as they were instrumental in the process. This approved calendar reflects the District’s effort to ensure students have the learning time they need while balancing the needs of our diverse community.”
District representatives stated that they planned to create a schedule that gives children priority and gives them the time they need to learn. The idea is based on HISD’s classification as a District of Innovation, which was approved by the school board in December.
What you need to know about the new calendar
HISD administrators set aside nine days, June 14, Sept. 3, Oct. 3, Nov. 8, Jan. 6, Feb. 14, May 2, June 5, and June 13, for staff professional development and classes in early August. From July 22 to July 29, district and assistant principals will receive orientation and training.
The induction of new employees is set for July 30 and July 31. From August 1 to August 9, all employees will undergo preparation and induction. District representatives suggested that the school district have make-up days between June 6 and 12. The dates of the winter and spring breaks are, respectively, Dec. 23–January 3 and March 10-14.
The elementary campuses are open from 7:30 am to 3 pm, while the middle and high schools are open from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The start times of schools on campuses run by Superintendent Mike Miles’ New Education System initiative are adjusted based on the grade level.
Pre-K through Second Grade students will have class from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Classes for third through fifth graders will meet from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and classes for sixth through twelfth graders will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Summer school will be mandatory for students, beginning on June 17, 2024, and ending on July 19. The projected summer school schedule for 2025 is June 16–July 23.
The new calendar has been the subject of intense controversy, with HISD Superintendent Mike Miles advocating for an extended school year in the face of opposition from the community, which maintains that doing so will not address the district’s issues.
The decision-making process involved the District Advisory Committee (DAC), Principal Advisory Committee (PAC), and the Teacher Advisory Committee (TAC), which narrowed down four potential academic calendars to two. HISD claims to have received feedback from over 4,000 community members on the final proposed calendars.