Conroe Independent School District trustees gathered on Oct. 20 to address how the district will make up lost instructional time after a dangerous weather closure on Sept. 1. The board considered two options: using the scheduled inclement‑weather day on March 29, which falls during a planned four‑day Easter weekend, or adding a small number of minutes to each remaining school day.
Background and legal requirement
Texas Education Agency regulations, under House Bill 2610, require every public school district to provide at least 75,600 minutes of instruction per year, including intermissions and recess. Conroe ISD’s current calendar does not contain spare minutes to absorb a full lost day, prompting the board to explore schedule adjustments.
Survey of district employees
Assistant superintendent for high schools Mark Murrel said the district surveyed all employees to gauge preferences. Of the 3,917 respondents, 43.4% favored adding five minutes per day for the rest of the school year, 25.3% preferred a smaller increase of two to three minutes, and 15.6% supported using the March 29 date as a make‑up day.
Board deliberations
Board member Melissa Dungan introduced a motion to keep the March 29 holiday and forgo additional minutes. After discussion, trustees voted 6‑1 against the motion, opting to retain the holiday and add instructional minutes to the remaining days. Murrel noted that the decision reflects the strong employee support for the minute‑addition option and the desire to preserve family and staff plans tied to the Easter weekend.
Impact on families and staff
Using the March 29 day as a make‑up day would have disrupted family travel, staff vacations, and district morale. By adding a modest increase of minutes to each day, the board aims to meet the state‑mandated instructional total while minimizing disruption to personal schedules.
Next steps
The board will finalize the 2027‑28 school calendar by Jan. 19 at the latest. The revised schedule will incorporate the additional minutes and retain the March 29 holiday, ensuring compliance with state requirements and respecting community preferences.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Houston — read the source article.
