3 different calendars being considered for Dallas ISD schools next school year

Dallas ISD trustees are considering three different calendars for the next school year.

Two of the calendars would add about five weeks of instruction time, while the third option is for campuses that want to keep a traditional school year.

The school district wants to give campuses a choice of whether or not to opt-in for five extra weeks of school.

It would mean a start date of August 2 or 9, and an end date of June 23.

For the three different school calendars, the first is the traditional school calendar for schools that want to stick with that.

The second calendar would have an August 9 start date and June 23 end date, with five weeks of intersession work for students who need help catching up.

The goal is for half the students to receive that instruction with small class sizes, of 12 students.

The students not receiving instruction would have a break, and the calendar includes teacher prep time.

"We heard from teachers loud and clear that they need more time for planning and prep," said Derek Little, who is deputy chief of teaching and learning for DISD. "In the intersession calendar, each Monday is planning and preparation, with no students on campus, so each student gets a long weekend."

The third school calendar would also start August 2 and June 23, but all students would attend the additional five weeks of instruction.

The district said that would allow the entire curriculum to be reimagined.

This model will be for a small number of schools, and serve as a pilot program.

Teachers would be compensated for the additional days they work.

Trustees will be voting on the calendars on Jan. 28, but the district will choose the actual schools that follow the calendars later.

High schools are not being considered for the longer calendar at this time.