Four-day school weeks were associated with lower reading and math proficiency at Texas campuses, Education Commissioner Mike Morath told state senators Tuesday as they reviewed the shortened schedules used by more than 200 districts.
The hearing was part of the Senate Education Committee’s interim charge to review the more than 200 Texas districts using four-day or hybrid schedules and examine how shortened school weeks affect student learning, families, and academic achievement.
Morath told lawmakers that the average Texas school campus now provides 169 days of instruction annually, down from the traditional 180-day calendar. About 15 percent of campuses provide fewer than 165 instructional days, he added.
He said Texas’ shorter calendars are associated with lower academic outcomes. A Texas Education Agency analysis comparing similar campuses found that four-day school weeks were associated with a six to eight percent reduction in grade-level proficiency in reading and math.
Emily Morton, director of research consulting at NWEA, told lawmakers that Texas districts using four-day schedules have about 16 fewer school days on average. While districts can meet the state’s 75,600-minute operational requirement by lengthening school days, Morton said those additional minutes can include recess and other non-instructional time.
At the same time, Morton said recent Texas research found that four-day schedules can improve teacher retention by about three percentage points, although the model has not been shown to increase the overall supply of teachers statewide.
Elmer Avellaneda, superintendent of Natalia Independent School District, told senators that the district adopted a four-day instructional calendar in 2022 in an effort to recruit and retain teachers and improve morale and academic performance.
Instead, Avellaneda said the district experienced continued staffing challenges and declining academic performance.
The district returned to a five-day instructional week for the 2026-27 school year.
Avellaneda explained the change has provided greater stability and access to teachers and other support staff, particularly for students who rely on schools for meals, counseling, intervention, and other services.
During questioning, Avellaneda said Natalia’s district rating declined each year under the four-day schedule, reaching an “F” rating in 2025. He characterized the shortened week as a significant factor in the district’s decline.
Chair Donna Campbell (R–Bulverde) questioned whether four-day schedules provide a meaningful benefit to students, emphasizing that schools should prioritize educating children rather than accommodating other interests.
“The child needs to be the focus in education,” Campbell said. “We are there to teach our children. That’s what school’s supposed to be. There is not a benefit that I see for a four-day school week for the child.”
Morath agreed with the focus on student learning, telling the committee, “The whole reason we have public schools is for kids to learn.”
Rather than requiring all districts to return to five-day schedules, Morton recommended establishing guardrails that would allow lawmakers and state officials to track actual instructional time and compare academic outcomes between similar four-day and five-day schools.
The testimony comes as Texas lawmakers weigh how to balance the operational benefits of shorter school weeks with the potential impact on student learning ahead of the next legislative session.
