The bill amends Section 25.081 of the Education Code to establish a minimum requirement for public schools to operate for at least 175 instructional days and 75,600 minutes of operation each school year, with specific provisions for districts with fewer than 8,000 students. It allows the commissioner to approve fewer instructional days or minutes in cases of disasters or other calamities, and mandates that districts may need to add instructional days or minutes to compensate for any lost time. Additionally, the bill introduces a new section, 25.0813, which permits school districts that adopt a four-day school week starting in the 2024-2025 school year to maintain that schedule unless they receive a poor performance rating.

Further amendments include provisions for waivers allowing fewer instructional days or minutes for districts that require educators to attend safety training, and adjustments to average daily attendance calculations based on instructional time provided. The bill also clarifies that juvenile justice alternative education programs must operate for at least 175 days per year, with the possibility of waivers. The changes will take effect starting with the 2025-2026 school year, unless the bill receives immediate approval from the legislature.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 25.081, Education Code 25.0815, Education Code 29.0822, Education Code 29.162, Education Code 37.011, Education Code 48.005, Education Code 48.0051 (Education Code 25, Education Code 29, Education Code 37, Education Code 48)