East Central ISD reviews two draft 2026–27 calendars; options affect start date, instructional days and summer learning revenue

East Central ISD administrators presented two draft calendar options for the 2026–27 school year at the board’s Dec. 16 meeting and outlined the instructional and funding trade‑offs between them.

Option 1 begins Wednesday, Aug. 6, and yields three additional instructional days in the fall and 22 summer‑learning days. Option 2 begins Monday, Aug. 10, produces more spring instructional days and 20 summer‑learning days. Both options add four instructional days overall compared with recent years; district staff said the extra days are intended to provide more instructional time before state assessments and to generate attendance‑driven revenue to support summer learning.

Staff estimated additional summer program attendance revenue could be roughly $300,000 based on prior years’ participation; the district said those funds would reduce the local dollars needed to operate summer learning. Administrators also noted Legacy campus may pursue a calendar variation that would meet resource‑campus qualifications (including a requirement of 181 student‑attendance days and staffing thresholds) and unlock recurring funding streams, contingent on meeting that campus’s eligibility requirements.

Board members and staff discussed the tradeoffs — community preference for a Monday start versus the instructional benefits of extra fall days — and asked staff to survey parents and staff. Administrators said they will return to the board next month with survey results and a recommended calendar.