FBISD Approves 2018-19 School Calendar

SUGAR LAND, TX — The Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees adopted the 2018-19 District calendar at the Jan. 22, 2018 Board Meeting, which includes a start date of Aug. 15, 2018.

The final day of instruction will be May 24, 2019.

Other highlights of the 2018-19 calendar include:

• Start date of Aug. 15, 2018
• Two District professional development days and four campus professional development days prior to the start of the school year
• Maintains Fort Bend County Fair Holiday
• Maintains week off at Thanksgiving Break
• Concludes final exams and first semester before Winter Break
• A two-week Winter Break, with students returning January 8 for the Spring 2019 semester
• Includes at least one full day of professional learning or holiday each month, in lieu of several early release days, allowing staff and students needed breaks to balance learning
• End date of May 24, 2019, which allows graduation ceremonies to be completed by June 1, 2019

Background:
As a District of Innovation, Fort Bend ISD has flexibilities regarding the start and end dates of instruction, and a task force of District and campus representatives began meeting over the summer of 2017 to consider how the increased flexibilities could allow FBISD to better support students.

A Calendar Committee, made up of parents, teachers, principals, community members and District administrators, then met during the fall and posted two calendar options for public comment during December 2017.

Nearly 5,000 stakeholders completed the brief survey, and the results of the survey were analyzed by members of the Calendar Committee and District leaders to inform the final recommendation to the Board of Trustees on Jan. 22.

Based on the feedback from the community survey, the adopted calendar is a slightly modified version of “Option 1,” which includes an additional early release day to fall and spring exam weeks for middle and high school students.

Additionally, the school year ends for students prior to Memorial Day, a change made possible by the elimination of the October and February holidays.

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