McAllen ISD committee presents three draft 2025–26 calendars; trustees debate District of Innovation route

McAllen ISD staff reported to the board Jan. 17 on work by the calendar committee to produce three draft options for the 2025–26 instructional calendar and described the stakeholder survey and voting timeline.

Patricia Peña, director of professional development and literacy, told trustees the committee gathered stakeholder feedback via surveys and lead-assembly meetings beginning in November, produced three calendar drafts and planned stakeholder voting for late January with board approval expected Feb. 25. The committee’s goals included earlier start dates to maximize student learning time, more teacher planning days and access to Additional Day School Year/ATSI funding under House Bill 3.

Peña explained the legal routes to change the state’s default 4th‑Monday‑in‑August start date: operate an 11‑month calendar (with at least one instructional day in June) or pursue a District of Innovation (DOI) designation, which can exempt local districts from certain Texas Education Code provisions. She said DOI status is granted for five years, requires stakeholder input and board action, and is available only to districts rated at least a C.

Trustees pressed staff about community outreach, survey distribution and deadlines. Several trustees, including Trustee Kittleman, urged revisiting DOI because the board previously attempted DOI and staff vote outcomes prevented adoption; Kittleman argued a DOI could allow earlier starts, alignment with federal holidays such as Veterans Day and MLK Day, and eliminate June instruction if the calendar is restructured. Staff said applying for DOI typically requires an application process that begins in September; they agreed to add a DOI question to stakeholder surveys and to research DOI timelines and statutory requirements with TEA.

Peña described three drafts the committee planned to present for voting: (A) teacher start Aug. 7/student start Aug. 18; (B) teacher start Aug. 8/student start Aug. 18; and (C) teacher start Aug. 11/student start Aug. 18 (last day varying between June 2–3 depending on draft). She said paper ballots and electronic voting would be available and that the vote would be publicized through Skyward, campus principals and district channels.

Board members asked the committee to consider adding federal holidays or making more distinct calendar options for parents (rather than options differing mainly in teacher start dates). Trustees also asked staff to investigate the DOI application deadline and whether the DOI process could be fast‑tracked for a potential calendar change.

No final calendar vote occurred Jan. 17; staff will finalize materials for stakeholder voting and return to the board with results and any DOI work‑plan later this spring.