As families across Amarillo and the High Plains area begin to gather school supplies and prepare for the start of the 2025–2026 school year, many have already circled that all-important first day of school on the calendar. But what might come as a surprise to some is that not all school weeks in the Texas Panhandle will look the same. In fact, ten school districts in the region will either continue or begin operating on a four-day week—or a hybrid of it—this year.
Here are the Texas Panhandle school districts that will be running on a four-day schedule in some form this school year:
Bushland ISD
Channing ISD
Groom ISD (Hybrid)
Follett ISD (Hybrid)
Happy ISD
Kelton ISD
Paducah ISD
Silverton ISD
Spearman ISD
Springlake-Earth ISD
In hybrid models like those used by Follett and Groom ISDs, students attend four-day weeks for part of the year, with traditional five-day weeks during other stretches—usually based on academic needs or testing calendars.
How is this possible?
A key change in Texas education law back in 2015 made this type of scheduling shift possible. Instead of requiring a set number of school days, Texas now requires a minimum of 75,600 instructional minutes per academic year. This allows districts more flexibility in how they structure their school weeks—as long as the instructional time adds up.
The Texas Panhandle isn’t alone. According to a 2025 report by the University of Houston Education Research Center, 181 Texas school districts statewide have adopted a four-day week for the 2024–2025 academic year. This marks a major jump from just 62 districts the year before. Rural school districts, in particular, are leading the charge.
Why the sudden shift? The short answer: teacher retention.
Across Texas and the nation, teacher retention has become a growing concern. Keeping quality teachers in the classroom is a challenge that districts are trying to solve through schedule innovation. A four-day week offers teachers a longer weekend, which can lead to better work-life balance, reduced burnout, and potentially greater job satisfaction.
The Texas Legislature has also responded with House Bill 2, passed during the 89th Legislative Session, which sets aside $4.2 billion for a Teacher Retention Allotment. While that’s a major investment, some educators remain concerned about its sustainability, since it’s a one-time funding measure.
Does it work? Here’s where the data gets a bit murky.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is still collecting and analyzing four-day week outcomes, but early signs suggest mixed results. A 2024 study from Oregon found that teacher turnover actually increased in districts that switched to four-day weeks, and the trend continued into years five through nine. A similar study in Colorado showed a short-term rise in turnover, followed by a leveling off.
Meanwhile, Saint Louis University found a modest 1.1% increase in teacher retention under four-day weeks, but even that study concluded that “the results highlight the uncertainty” of using calendar changes as a long-term solution.
For families in the Texas Panhandle, the move to four-day weeks means several things:
Childcare Adjustments: Working parents may need to arrange supervision or activities for students on the new “off” day, typically Friday or Monday.
Transportation and Meal Programs: Some districts are adjusting bus schedules and meal programs to fit the new model. It's important to check with your local school district for specifics.
Longer School Days: To meet the minute requirements, school days on the four-day schedule are often extended by 30 to 60 minutes.
Academic Impacts: Districts implementing four-day weeks will be monitoring closely to ensure that learning outcomes aren’t negatively affected.
The four-day school week is a growing experiment in Texas education. While the benefits of flexibility and potential cost savings are attractive, the long-term impacts—on teachers, students, and communities—are still being studied.
For now, families should stay informed, stay flexible, and stay engaged with their local schools. Whether your district is on a four-day week or sticking to five, the best outcomes still come from a strong partnership between schools and the families they serve.
