Liberty Hill ISD plans for 4-day school week as it grapples with budget deficit

LIBERTY HILL, Texas - Liberty Hill ISD adopted a hybrid four-week school schedule. This new schedule passed the school board unanimously on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Students will follow a traditional five-day week for certain parts of the school year — like the start of the school year, the final few weeks of December, and during STARR testing in April — but just about everything in between is a four-day week.

With students moving toward four-day weeks, it gives teachers Friday to catch up on work.

The district said it will also add an extra 10 minutes to each school day to make sure students meet state requirements for time in a classroom.

Budget deficit at Liberty Hill ISD

What they're saying:

"The only thing we have to give them is time, so on the four-day weeks, that the student week is four days, the teachers will come on Friday and have more time to work on the work to plan with each other and those PLC groups and to have protected time for them to grade, to handle the extra workloads that’s going to be on their backs due to the lack of funding from the state," said LHISD Superintendent Steve Snell.

Despite the district's growing enrollment rate, Snell pointed to an overwhelming $7.5 million budget deficit. A shorter school week will help save money on substitutes and transportation.

"All these things cost money," said Snell. "Money that we need. Money that the state has."

The district is also planning on cutting about 50 positions next school year to save another $5 million.

"Every cut we make goes on the back of our classroom teachers, and it whittles away the quality of education we can provide in Liberty Hill," said Snell.

Snell said positions most at risk include the gifted and talented programs, bilingual teachers, librarians, and special ed.

"We at the district level are working really hard to be creative on how we can still provide that high level with less being given, you know, to us from outside," said Stocker.

Governor Greg Abbott boasted on X saying public school funding is at an all-time high. 

However, Snell said the district is in this difficult position because it hasn’t received an increase from the state in per-student funding since 2019.

"Just help us," said Snell. "Listen to our stories. Understand the strains we’re under. Understand how we’re eroding away the quality of public schools because of your lack of funding, so please come together and work with us."

Local perspective:

Wendy Stocker, a transition specialist at Liberty Hill ISD, spoke about the 18+ program.

"Okay, so this is our apartment living and sensory lab," said Stocker.

"What we do here is vital," said Stocker. "Not only is it mandated that we provide these services, but the way that Liberty Hill has chosen to provide these services is unlike any district that I've been in."

Classrooms like hers will see more empty seats on Fridays.