Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, North Lamar ISD students will only be in school four days a week — Tuesday through Friday.
“As a parent, I am thrilled about the transition to a four-day week. This change means more quality time with my child, enjoying more family activities, and a chance for students to recharge and come back to school ready to learn. It’s a win-win for our family and the entire community,” said kindergarten parent, Chelsea Harvey
The North Lamar School District voted unanimously, approving the new four-day schedule, at its board meeting on Thursday night.
According to NLISD, benefits of a four-day school week include recruitment and retention of high quality staff, attendance, school culture and preparedness.
“The change will not lower the pay of any NLISD employee. We want this change to help recruit and retain staff,” said NLISD online. “The best way to accomplish this is to reduce the number of days worked and not reduce pay.”
Other reasons for changing to a four-day school week include:
- Possible increase in enrollment
- Possible increase in student and staff morale high
- Possible increase in student and staff attendance
- Benefit student and staff mental health
- Reduce need for substitutes
- Increase time to support new teachers
- Increase time to support new teachers
- Increase planning and collaboration time for teachers
- Cleaner facilities, more time for cleaning and maintenance
- Decrease in deterioration of our bus and white fleet overtime
For students, school days will be longer, starting at 7:40 a.m. and 4:05 p.m., with recess times being extended from grades Pre-K to 5 to break up the day. Holidays will not be shortened.
Students will start school on Aug. 6, 2024, and end on May. 22, 2025. Graduation will be May 24, 2025.
The school said the schedule will be as a two-year pilot program and they will look at the following data to determine if it is successful or not:
- Student academic success (STAAR tests, reading levels, math skills levels, completing dual credit college hours before graduation, earning an industry-based certification before graduation, ASVAB scores, ACT and SAT scores, and graduation rates).
- Student enrollment numbers
- Student attendance rates
- Employee attendance rates
- Percentage of students participating in extracurricular activities
- Employee retention rate
- Number of certified and highly qualified applicants for each open position
For the 2024-2025 calendar, click here
For FAQ, click here
For more on NLISD four-day school week, click here
