A fresh start: Rockdale ISD kicks off new school year with a four-day week

ROCKDALE, Texas (KBTX) -The new school year is fast approaching, and students in Rockdale ISD will be hitting the hallways on Tuesday. However, this academic year promises to be different, as the district embraces a new schedule that includes many four-day work weeks.

Rockdale ISD is among the first Brazos Valley districts to adopt a hybrid schedule, featuring four-day weeks for part of the year. While some weeks still consist of five school days, those mostly occur in the months leading up to holiday breaks.

The decision to switch to a four-day school week has generated excitement among educators and parents alike. Many hope the new schedule will help attract and retain teachers and positively impact student attendance and overall classroom performance.

Rockdale ISD (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)

In 2015, Texas legislators approved a bill that altered the method of measuring classroom instruction time. Instead of mandating 180 days of classes, districts were required to provide a minimum of 75,600 minutes. This change offered more scheduling flexibility to the districts.

During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers deliberated on a bill aimed at prohibiting additional districts from implementing four-day school weeks. Senate Bill 2368 successfully passed the Senate but failed to advance beyond a House committee.

In February 2023, a report from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force emphasized the importance of respecting and valuing teacher time. The Texas Education Agency-authored report highlighted the extensive responsibilities teachers have beyond teaching, such as managing instructional materials, paperwork, attending meetings, and engaging in professional development.

Rockdale ISD Superintendent Denise Monzingo. (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)

Denise Monzingo, who has led the district for nearly a decade, expressed enthusiasm about the shift and the potential to share its results with other districts. She emphasized that if the new schedule doesn’t yield the desired outcomes, they are open to making adjustments for the following year.

“I have a few friends that are superintendents that have said were going to be watching to see what happens,” said Monzingo. “I think in education we just keep doing things the same way and we’re getting the same results and so trying something different and thinking outside the box I think is just really important.”

Rockdale ISD Parent Valarie Willingham (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)

Valarie Willingham, who has two children in the district welcomes the four-day week. She believes it will reduce instances of children missing school due to various appointments, such as doctor’s visits and other commitments.

“They have doctors appointments they have to go to and dentist appointments, haircuts, just the normal things that sometimes we can’t do on the weekends so it really does help for us to have a day to not have to pull them out of school and they don’t have to miss anything,” said Willingham.

Some teachers also look forward to the change, as it grants them extra time for planning and professional development.

6th grade Rockdale ISD Teacher Doc Shuffield. (Donnie Tuggle/Bryan-College Station)

“As we move through the school year it’s going to help us to have more time with our families as well as more time to work together in our professional groups providing for the needs of the students,” said Doc Shuffield, a 6th-grade Rockdale ISD teacher.

“Education for teachers is just continuing to get more and more, There’s more paperwork all the time, more expectations all the time, and that we’re able to give them those half days in the afternoon on Fridays just to get some more of their work done,” said Monzingo.

Rockdale ISD Students return to class Tuesday, August 8th.

Rockdale ISD Student Calendar

Rockdale ISD Student Calendar 2023-2024 School Year by KBTX on Scribd

Rockdale ISD Teacher Calendar

Rockdale ISD Teacher Calendar 2023-2024 School Year by KBTX on Scribd