Llano ISD is exploring an alternative school week calendar. Currently our school calendar has 171 students days and an alternative school week calendar would have 161 student days. The alternate school week calendar includes students attending school some weeks Monday-Thursday and some weeks Monday-Friday. In order to meet the state-required attendance minutes of 75,600, a shorter school week will require a longer school day by adjusting our beginning times 15 minutes and end times 15 minutes.
What are the reasons for this change?
According to research and the experiences of districts already using a 4-day week calendar, (about 5% of the districts in Texas are using the 4-day week or modified approach with many districts looking into a change next year) the primary benefits of a four-day instructional week are:
1. Recruitment and retention of top teachers and staff.
LISD: Teacher turnover rate (teachers who have left the district) has been 20% since February of 2022.
2. School culture and reduced student absences.
LISD: Student attendance on Fridays for the fall of 2022 was 90.49%. That is 2% points lower than Tuesday-Thursday and 1% point lower than Mondays. Texas student average attendance rates are currently 94%.
3. Preparedness, quality instruction and staff attendance.
LISD: Staff attendance on Fridays for the Fall of 2022 was 90.80%. That is 3% points lower than Tuesday-Thursday and 1% lower than Mondays.
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