China Spring (FOX 44/KWKT) — China Spring Independent School District is the latest district in Texas to adopt a 4-day school week. The Board of Trustees accepted the calendar on Monday night.
The new calendar will start with the 2023-2024 school year, on August 7th. The last day will be May 30th.
Under the new plan, the school week will normally be Monday through Thursday, with the campus closed on most Fridays. On Mondays that are holidays, like Labor Day and Memorial Day, students will attend classes on Friday.
Students will be in class for 160 days during the academic year, which equals 76,800 minutes of instruction. That surpasses the state requirement of 75,600 minutes.
Teachers and students will still get the normal holidays off during the year. There are also two bad weather days built into the schedule.
China Spring ISD hopes the 4-day school week will increase recruitment and retention of high quality staff, while reducing student and staff absences. There will be more time for teachers to plan and less need for substitute teachers.
According to a survey China Spring ISD published, 81% of students favored the 4-day plan and 90% teachers. 59% of the parents who responded to the survey approved of the 4-day week.