The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is considering a four-day school week and a year-round calendar for the 2027-28 school year. The district, which is Southern Arizona’s largest with about 35,000 students in 88 schools, is tackling issues with absenteeism and enrollment.

Proposed Schedules

The district floated four possible school schedules in an email survey to families: the first mirrors the 2026-27 school year, the second extends Thanksgiving break, the third is a four-day school week, and the last is a year-round option. A four-day week was adopted by the TUSD Governing Board last spring for Palo Verde High School, which is the first traditional public school in the Tucson area with a four-day school week.

Palo Verde’s four-day school week includes a longer school day with seven, 60-minute classes from 8:10 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. Fridays are free for students and abbreviated for staff, who rotate to support students. The fifth day of the week is for credit recovery, academic help, internships, and family flexibility, staff told the board.

Year-Round Option

The proposed year-round option begins earlier in the summer and includes longer breaks during the school year. It would begin July 22, 2027, and end May 25, 2028. The Chandler Unified School District, Arizona’s second-largest district, has a modified year-round school year which allows two-week breaks in the fall, winter, and spring, which reduced burnout for students and staff.

Original reporting: Arizona Luminaria — read the source article.