Ponder ISD moves to 4-day school week
PONDER, Texas - The Ponder Independent School District in Denton County is the latest North Texas school district to move to a four-day school week.
What we know:
School district officials said they made the decision to officially switch to a shorter week after months of research, discussions, and gathering input from stakeholders.
The change will go into effect during the 2025-2026 school year.
Students will start the year on Aug. 6 with a traditional five-day week. Then, after the first nine weeks, classes will shift to four days a week.
The school day will be extended by 30 minutes to make up the difference in instructional time.
What they're saying:
Ponder ISD believes the new schedule will help with teacher retention and offer a better work-life balance for both students and staff members.
Studies have shown that a four-day week can lead to better attendance, discipline, and overall school satisfaction, the district said.
What we don't know:
Ponder ISD is still working on finalizing the new school start and end times, as well as the details of a Friday childcare program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Those details are expected to be announced in the coming months.
4-day school week gains popularity
More and more rural school districts in Texas are moving to a four-day school week as a way to attract and retain teachers.
Several districts in North Texas, including Anna, Hillsboro, Mineral Wells, Montague, and Terrell ISDs, made the switch a few years ago.
Mesquite ISD explored the idea in 2023 as a solution for an extreme teacher shortage. Ultimately, the district decided not to move forward with it.
More Texas school districts considering 4-day school weeks
The 50 districts across the state that are switching to a 4-day week say it's a way to attract and retain teachers. But some experts say it is an experiment that could backfire.
"A lot of rural schools are going to this model I think it is saving the district money," explained Dr. Chris Sloan, Associate Dean of the College of Education at Tarleton State University. "Less utilities with buildings closed. They don't run the buses one day."
But Sloan said the savings usually come at a cost. A four-day school week means either longer school days, shorter summers, or a potentially harmful option: teachers spending less time with students.
Still, districts such as San Elizario ISD near El Paso say the idea of a four-day week and three-day weekend has been well-received.
San Elizario students and staff get "Mindful Eagle Mondays" to focus on their mental health and self-care.
The Source: The information in this story comes from a news update from Ponder ISD, as well as past news coverage.