The Local DEIC reviewed the subchapters of the Texas Education Code to determine which permissible exemptions currently inhibit the district from maximizing the educational opportunities of the students who attend Southside ISD.
Uniform Start Date (TEC §25.0811) was found to be hindering instruction in SISD
State law currently prohibits school districts from starting class before the fourth Monday in August, unless they are year-round districts.
Rationale for Exemption The flexibility of the start date allows the district to determine locally, on an annual basis, what best meets the needs of the students, the school, and the community. In addition, this flexibility allows the district to better align its starting date to accommodate the start
date of colleges that the district uses for dual credit courses. Additionally, the ability to change the school start date can also help to better balance the amount of days in each semester, and this would ensure more instructional days prior to end of the year testing.