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Liberty Hill ISD board hears divided response to two calendar options and begins deeper review
Summary
After a district survey of 2,481 respondents, trustees heard competing views on Calendar A (traditional) and Calendar B (modified/innovative). Staff said Calendar A had 67% overall support while Calendar B had 57% support but stronger staff backing; trustees asked for further modeling on childcare impacts, attendance risk, and possible savings from a 4‑day or modified schedule.
Liberty Hill ISD officials presented the results of a districtwide survey on two proposed instructional calendars for 2025–26 and trustees held a lengthy debate about the pros, cons and equity implications of each option.
Chief of Schools Travis Motol said the district received 2,481 total survey responses and emphasized that both calendars meet Texas's minimum instructional requirement of 75,600 minutes. He described Calendar A as a more traditional layout (168 student days) and Calendar B as more innovative, with students having three fewer days in some arrangements but a reorganization of Mondays that would give teachers more planning time.
Motol summarized the topline results: "For Calendar A, there was overall 67% of all the respondents either agreed or strongly agreed," while Calendar B had "57% agree or strongly agree," but Calendar B generated more detailed comments and stronger support from staff for recruitment and planning time. He said school staff raised childcare concerns and potential instructional continuity issues with Calendar B.
Board members debated tradeoffs: supporters highlighted teacher planning time, retention benefits and possible operational savings (transportation and utilities) under a four‑day or modified week; critics said the district must protect economically disadvantaged families who would face childcare burdens, and asked staff to model how savings would be realized and what internal supports (Panther Care, subsidized options) could be provided. At least one trustee voiced outright support for Calendar B and exploratory work toward a full 4‑day week; others pressed for consistency and clear expectations for teacher workdays if students are off.
Motol said the next step is a deeper review by the District Educational Improvement Committee (DEIC) in January and that the committee will make a formal recommendation to the board—potentially in January or February—after the district models instructional minutes, banked days, childcare options and operational savings.
The board did not take a vote on the calendars; members asked staff for additional financial and equity analyses before returning the item for future action.
