After receiving input from staff and the community, Northwest ISD board members approved both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 instructional calendars.

The details

According to an NISD news release, the board had two options to choose from. As NISD selects instructional calendars two school years at a time, the option selected for 2024-25 will continue through to the 2025-26 calendar.

The two options were as follows:
  • Option A: Thanksgiving break lasts the entire week for students. Staff may use flex days on the Monday and Tuesday of the break. This option most closely mirrors the 2023-24 calendar.
  • Option B: Thanksgiving break lasts Wednesday to Friday to allow for an earlier start date for summer break, which would be May 21, 2025. The last day of the 2023-24 school year is May 24, 2024.
Feedback on the options was given by a school calendar committee and by the community at large. Input from the committee included:
  • Include nine-week grading periods
  • Have built-in professional learning days
  • Provide breaks throughout the year
  • Do not start school on a Monday (preferably mid-week)
  • End before June (preferably before Memorial Day)
  • Secondary schools need early release days at the end of semesters
  • End the first semester before Christmas break
  • Balance the semesters
  • Have a minimum of two full weeks off at Christmas break
To get community input, NISD officials created a survey. During her presentation to the board at the Dec. 11 meeting, Stephanie Espinosa, executive director of teaching and learning, said in that survey, Option A was chosen by an “overwhelming” 89%.

Staff recommended Option A at the Dec. 11 board meeting, and the board approved that option on Jan. 8.


Diving in deeper

Important dates for the 2024-25 school year include:
  • Aug. 14: first day of school
  • May 23: last day of school
  • Nov. 25-29: Thanksgiving break
  • Dec. 20-Jan. 3: winter break
  • March 17-21: spring break
Significant dates for the 2025-26 school year include:
  • Aug. 13: first day of school
  • May 22: last day of school
  • Nov. 24-28: Thanksgiving break
  • Dec. 19-Jan. 2: winter break
  • March 16-20: spring break
At the Dec. 11 meeting, Espinosa provided a caveat that since the district plans out two academic years at a time, the 2025-26 calendar is subject to change should state officials make changes to testing dates or Tarrant County College officials make changes to the break schedule. TCC provides dual-credit and other learning options for NISD students, and the district tries to mirror TCC's schedule for breaks.