RISD schools and offices were closed on February 3, 4, and 24 due to inclement weather and hazardous conditions. In addition, some RISD schools were closed or operated on a modified schedule earlier in the school year due to the pandemic, and high schools have early release days due to exams. The state of Texas requires that students reach a specified number of instructional minutes during a school year. RISD’s original 2021-22 school calendar includes more instructional minutes than the minimum state requirement, and the district can apply the excess minutes toward meeting the state requirement for most schools under the following plan:
- Thursday, April 14 will change from an early release day to a full school day.
- Friday, April 15 and Monday, April 18 will remain student and staff holidays.
Primarily because of pandemic-related schedule changes and exam-related early releases, these schools will be adding instructional minutes to the school day beginning March 21 through the end of the second semester:
- Berkner HS, Big Springs ES, Bowie ES, Lake Highlands HS, and Pearce HS will add five minutes to the end of the school day.
- Brentfield ES and Richardson HS will add ten minutes to the end of the school day.
- Schools will share campus-specific information with parents about how the additional minutes may impact their daily schedules.
RISD Trustees voted March 7 to compensate teachers and staff for February 24 without having to make up the time. The district has previously communicated options for employees to make up time related to February 3 and 4.
