The overview
The four calendar drafts come in pairs of two, with Draft A and A2, and Draft B and B2 featuring minimal differences.
All of the proposed calendars list Aug. 14, 2024, as the first day of school, while all but Draft A would set May 23, 2025, as the last day of school. Draft A sets the last day of school as May 28, which would push back graduation from May 24 to May 31 or June 7, PISD Chief Communications Officer Lesley Range-Stanton said.
Drafts A and A2 feature 81 instructional days in the first semester and 91 instructional days in the second semester, while drafts B and B2 feature 82 instructional days in the first semester and 90 in the second semester.
The other major difference is that drafts A and A2 feature a full week from Oct. 14-18, 2024, for fall break. That longer fall break has made draft A2 “the one that most groups are preferring,” Range-Stanton said.
Range-Stanton added PISD officials collaborated with other area districts and Collin College to draft the proposed calendars, lining up spring and winter breaks with Collin College.
“Their students are our dual credit students,” she said.
Offering input
District officials surveyed parents, staff members, students and community members for their preferences on the upcoming school year’s calendar. PISD received 2,505 total responses.
More than 70% of survey respondents preferred a Wednesday start to the school year as opposed to having a Monday be the first day of school.
Opinions were split on whether respondents were willing to end the year after Memorial Day, with 46.5% saying yes and 46.01% saying no. The rest had no preference.
Respondents largely did not have problems with the current PISD calendar, and 73% said they were somewhat or completely satisfied with the 2022-23 calendar. Those somewhat or completely dissatisfied made up 15% of the respondents, while 12% were neutral.
What’s next
The PISD board of trustees is expected to approve a calendar for next school year during its Nov. 28 or Dec. 12 meeting.
The full presentation can be viewed on the district’s website.
