HISD will not change its calendar

Not for this year, anyway.

Houston ISD’s calendar for 2020-21 will remain largely unchanged, district officials said Thursday, bringing an end to nearly two weeks of debate over whether to extend the school year as a way to increase flexibility and instructional time amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

HISD’s school year will begin on Aug. 24, as originally planned, and end in late May 2021.

District officials earlier this month floated the possibility of resuming classes in mid-August and ending the year in mid-June, with 10 added instructional days and longer mid-year breaks built into the calendar.

In a letter to parents, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said the later start date gives the district “an opportunity to monitor the pattern of COVID-19 cases and make necessary adjustments.”

“We also want to be responsive to feedback received regarding week-long (mid-year) breaks during the school year being a difficult option for many parents,” Lathan wrote.

Instead of adding 10 instructional days for all students, HISD will host 10 “academic boot camp” days for children “who may have fallen behind academically due to COVID-19,” Lathan said. Those classes will be hosted Aug. 18, 19 and 20, and during unspecified days over the Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks.

HISD officials have not specified who would be eligible to attend the boot camp days.

See here for the background, and here for the official announcement. I like the calendar fine as it is, but I can understand the reasons for the proposed alternative. There wasn’t a whole lot of time to really discuss the pros and cons of such a change if we wanted to do it for this year, but if HISD still thinks it’s a good idea and there’s enough support in the community for it, then let’s start that longer discussion now so there would be an opportunity to try it in the future with a broad consensus behind it. Like I said, I’m fine with letting it go, but if it really makes sense then let’s work our way through it.

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