Richardson ISD eyeing later start for 2022-23 academic calendar

The Richardson ISD board of trustees reviewed community feedback on two draft calendar options for the 2022-23 school year during its Feb. 15 meeting.

Interim Superintendent Tabitha Branum said the district was thrilled with the response from the community. After hoping for at least 1,000 parents to be engaged, she said the district received over 4,200 community responses. Around 1,000 responses favored calendar Option 1, while more than 3,200 responses favored Option 2.

Both calendars include 174 instructional days and 13 additional days for teacher professional learning. Winter break begins Dec. 19 on both calendars, with spring break set for March 13-17.

Option 1 includes 83 instructional days in the first semester and 91 instructional days in the second semester and would start the school year Aug. 10. Branum said reasons cited for support of this calendar include starting when the heat of summer begins, more breaks throughout the year and a later return from winter break.

Option 2 features 79 instructional days in the first semester and 95 instructional days in the second semester. It would see the school year begin on Aug. 16. Branum said reasons given in support for this calendar include having a longer summer, not being able to accommodate as many school off-days and being better for the athletics/drill teams.

One alteration proposed for Option 2 was to move Nov. 7 from a student and staff holiday into a school day. As part of this plan, Jan. 2 would become a holiday, allowing staff to return from winter break Jan. 3 and students Jan. 4. Branum said this proposal would help alleviate the burden of staff having to return immediately after New Year's Day.

The board will consider adoption of a calendar during its March 7 meeting.

A discussion of the calendar updates can be viewed here.