HOUSTON — Crosby and Hull-Daisetta ISDs will eventually transition to a four-day school week and aren't alone.
Nearly 900 school districts across 26 states are going for a shorter school week. The main shift is to help recruit and retain teachers.
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“The number of teacher applications that we've received have gone up more than four-fold,” Dr. Dale Herl, superintendent of the Independence School District in Missouri, said.
While the shift is helping districts across the country, some critics say there are better ways to handle the teacher shortage.
“The best way is to pay them better,” Aaron Pallas, professor at Columbia University, said. “Right now, there's not good evidence on the academic impact of the four-day school week."
Crosby ISD hybrid calendar
For Crosby parents, it’s important to remember that it is a hybrid calendar so the change to the four-day school week doesn’t take effect until after Labor Day. That means students need to go to class Monday through Friday for all of this month.
That switch also means school hours are changing across all campuses.
For Crosby high schools and middle schools, classes will begin at 7:10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. For elementary schools, classes will go from 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
Crosby ISD childcare
Another big concern is how working parents can afford childcare for that day off. To help parents adjust to the new schedule, the district is offering childcare on Fridays.
The district has partnered with the YMCA to launch childcare for all elementary-aged students up to fifth grade at Crosby Elementary School.
The services will be 50 percent off normal rates. An email to register should have been sent to parents last week.