Waco ISD board approves 2025‑26 instructional calendar favored by staff and community voters

WACO — The Waco ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the district’s 2025‑26 instructional calendar (Calendar 1) at the Jan. 20 meeting after the calendar received the most votes from staff and community stakeholders.

District staff told trustees the calendar meets the state requirement for instructional minutes (75,600 minutes), aligns district holidays with local universities and colleges, and contains two extra built‑in minutes/days for bad weather plus two early‑release planning days. The district presented three draft calendars to the Quality District Advisory Committee (QDAC); Calendar 1 received 414 staff votes, Calendar 2 received 241 staff votes, and Calendar 3 received 364 staff votes. Combined staff and community voting totaled 1,019 votes, with Calendar 1 receiving the highest combined support.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about planning days and start times. District staff said planning days include 90 minutes during which principals may pull staff to plan and the remainder of the day is intended for teacher planning; principals can structure that time but are expected to allocate it to planning work. Trustees and the superintendent also discussed the possibility of revisiting school start times — a change many students and some parents have requested — but noted bus‑route logistics and staffing constraints mean any change would have a district‑wide domino effect and requires further study.

Trustees also confirmed that the calendar includes two built‑in bad‑weather minutes/days and that the board could designate additional days (for example, Presidents’ Day) as bad‑weather makeups if necessary.

The motion to approve the 2025‑26 Waco ISD instructional calendar passed by unanimous voice vote.