HISD approves calendar with earlier start
Houston ISD’s appointed Board of Managers unanimously approved a new academic calendar Thursday that will start the next school year earlier in August and add more days of instruction to students’ schedules.
Under the finalized calendar, HISD students will start class Aug. 12, more than two weeks earlier than this year’s Aug. 28 start date, and leave for summer June 4. The new calendar will provide 180 days of instruction, up from 172 this year.
“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,” HISD Board President Audrey Momanaee said in a statement. “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.”
The earlier start date was made possible by the board’s adoption of District of Innovation status in December, which allows HISD, like the majority of Texas school districts, to exempt itself from state education laws — including one that requires schools to begin no earlier than the fourth Monday in August.
The final calendar includes fall and spring holidays on Rosh Hashanah, one of the Jewish High Holidays, and Good Friday, the Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr — which marks the end of Ramadan and was recognized as an HISD holiday for the first time last year — and Chavez Huerta Day, which HISD has recognized as a holiday since 2020, both fall on March 31 in 2025, and students will receive that day off as well.
Students and employees will get a full week off for Thanksgiving in November, and a twoweek winter break from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3. The weeklong spring break will extend from March 10 to 14. In total, the calendar provides students with 11 holidays and includes nine staff development days throughout the year.
While students return to class Aug. 12, induction and preparation for school leaders will begin July 22 and end July 29, with new staff members required to attend July 30 and 31. All staff will attend induction and preparation from Aug. 1 to Aug. 9.
Thursday’s vote came after scores of students, parents and teachers delivered public comments denigrating Miles’ leadership, and a presentation from Chief Academic Officer Kristen Hole which demonstrated that the district is on track to meet College, Career and Military Readiness goals — a 1% increase in students that complete career and technical education programs and qualify for college credit compared to last year, as part of a planned 15% increase in both over the next five years.
Many of the roughly 100 audience members read novels during the board meeting, in protest of reading curriculum at schools in Miles’ New Education System that favors short passages over full-length books, which are often included in curricula at other schools.
The board also voted to pay teachers for the day that schools were closed in January because of freezing weather, and to allow schools to excuse more than two absences for high school juniors and seniors to visit colleges, trade schools, military institutions and professional workplaces.