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CROSBY ISD BECOMES THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS TO ADOPT A 4-DAY INSTRUCTIONAL WEEK
Crosby ISD Superintendent, Mrs. Paula Patterson, said, “Our why is simple and straightforward. We want to find, recruit, and retain the best teachers in the state in the classrooms for our students. This change immediately makes Crosby ISD a top destination for educators in Harris County. Our move will attract even more exceptional teachers for our students, leading to high-quality academic outcomes. We also believe this move will increase our recruitment of bus drivers, who are vital in getting our students to and from school safely and on time.”
The calendar process lasted months, as district personnel diligently laid out options, sent a series of surveys to the community, hosted more than a dozen meetings and question-and-answer sessions for staff at each campus.
Crosby ISD Board of Trustees President, Mr. JR Humphries, said, “In my personal view, the 4-day calendar recommendation from Mrs. Patterson and her administration was a bold, strategic move that evolved after much deliberation with her team as well as with feedback from the staff, the students, and the community at large. I believe the academic considerations, the community implications, and the staff impact were all meticulously examined, and I was impressed with the forthright, abundant information that was made available to the community throughout this process. While I know some community members are uncomfortable with this decision, I’m looking forward to this next step for the district to retain and recruit the best educators in the state for our kids. I truly believe Crosby ISD and the Crosby-Barrett Station community will be even stronger moving forward with this decision.” -
Independence School District sees massive rise in applications following implementation of 4-day week
The Independence School District saw a 450% increase applications this year.
The school district attributes the sharp increase to it’s decision to implement a four-day school week next fall.
“We consistently hear from people that we are now interviewing that the four-day work week is something that really appealed to them,” said ISD Superintendent Dr. Dale Herl. “We can’t think of a reason that has led to the increase in applications other than the four-day work week.” -
GISD going to 4-day week in 2023-24; Super says parents must pitch-in with staff
“There’s a teacher shortage throughout the state of Texas, you’ve had learning loss and the list goes on and on,” said Superintendent DesMontes Stewart. “That’s not just Texas; that’s nationwide, so much so, that we’re having to figure out out-of-the-box ideas to get staff members on board.”
GISD has already tried several ways this year to encourage teachers to come work for them, including increased pay and utilizing a program to hire seven international teachers. Even then, GISD has 37 open positions left.
“If our vacancies continue to increase, the luxuries that we’ve been able to afford here in Gainesville, i.e. 18, 19 kids in a classroom,” said Stewart. “I just had this conversation with a good friend of mine who’s in the Metroplex, who’s going through this right now as well in a much larger district; their classes are 32, 33. That’s the grim reality … if we are unable to get teachers.” -
What Do Texas Teachers Really Need To Thrive? It's Not More Pay
Teachers work 54 hours a week as a "standard" although my teacher friends have told me they've had 80-hour work weeks before. This has led to nearly 75% of teachers reporting that they often feel stressed at work. Almost 77% of teachers have reported they have seriously considered leaving teaching.
Read More: What Do Texas Teachers Really Need To Thrive? It's Not More Pay -
Rural Texas districts struggling to attract teachers are switching to four-day school weeks
The switch to four-day school weeks has recently become popular among smaller and rural school districts across Texas that need an attractive incentive to recruit and retain teachers and that don’t always have the financial resources to dish out dramatic pay increases like in bigger districts.
