HOUSTON – The Houston Independent School District announced changes to its 2020-2021 academic school year calendar Thursday afternoon.
District officials said they will not move forward with a proposal to adopt the Year-Round Designation with the Texas Education Agency, which would have allowed for an amended 11-month academic calendar for the school year.
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Because of the uncertainty of COVID-19 and the possibility of another spike, the district will keep its existing 2020-21 academic year calendar, which provides for a later start date, with the addition of 10 targeted remediation days, or “Academic Boot Camps” for students who may have fallen behind academically due to the coronavirus, according to a press release.
District officials said the later start date will help provide them the opportunity to monitor the pattern of the coronavirus pandemic in the Houston area, giving them time to make adjustments if necessary to in-person or virtual learning or a combination of both.
“I want to thank all students, parents, and stakeholders who participated in the decision-making process by providing their feedback,” said Grenita Lathan, the Interim Superintendent. “We find ourselves in the midst of unprecedented uncertainty, and the diverse voices in our communities are important to us as we make critical decisions regarding the 2020-21 school year.”
According to a press release, the district’s academic boot camps will be offered in August and during the Thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks.
The first day of school for students not identified as requiring additional instructional hours will be Monday, Aug. 24, according to a press release.
HISD is asking parents to fill out the survey online at HoustonISD.org/ParentSurvey to help further community feedback and input for the 2020-21 school year. The survey for teachers can be found at HoustonISD.org/TeacherSurvey.
See the new 2020-21 academic calendar below: