The Texas Senate Committee on Education held a hearing to review four-day and hybrid school schedules used by more than 200 Texas districts and examine how shortened school weeks affect student learning, families, and academic achievement. Testimony indicated four-day schedules were associated with lower reading and math proficiency.
Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 6, 2026
Sources
Reported by 3 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
Mike MorathEducation Commissioner
Emily MortonDirector of research consulting at NWEA
Elmer AvellanedaSuperintendent of Natalia Independent School District
Donna CampbellChair of Senate Committee on Education, state senator (R–Bulverde)
Texas Senate Committee on EducationHeld the hearing
The facts
More than 200 Texas districts use four-day or hybrid schedules.2
Average Texas school campus provides 169 instructional days annually, down from traditional 180-day calendar.2
About 15 percent of Texas campuses provide fewer than 165 instructional days annually.2
Four-day school weeks associated with six to eight percent reduction in grade-level proficiency in reading and math.2
Texas districts using four-day schedules have about 16 fewer school days on average.2
Four-day schedules can improve teacher retention by about three percentage points.2
Natalia Independent School District adopted four-day instructional calendar in 2022, then returned to five-day week for 2026-27 school year.2
Natalia's district rating declined each year under four-day schedule, reaching F rating in 2025.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Elmer Avellaneda, superintendent of Natalia ISD District experienced continued staffing challenges and declining academic performance under four-day schedule.2
Elmer Avellaneda Four-day schedule was significant factor in district's decline to F rating.2
Emily Morton Lengthened school days under four-day schedules can include recess and non-instructional time.2
Emily Morton Four-day schedule model has not been shown to increase overall teacher supply statewide.2
Donna Campbell She sees no benefit to four-day school week for children; schools should prioritize educating children.2
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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