The 2020-2021 school year began the increased implementation of Teacher/Professional Workdays due to lost educational time from the Coronavirus-19 quarantine. As of the 2025-2026 school year, the amount of Professional and Teacher Workdays has significantly increased. Teacher/Professional workdays are known as non-student workdays that allow teachers and staff to develop, achieve and or complete work amongst their teams. The amount of Teacher/Professional workdays has gradually increased as the school years progress. Discussion about CFISD’s school calendar has raised inquiries on why our district proceeds with these holidays and how it impacts students, staff, and administrators.
“Students benefit from Teacher workdays because it allows teachers extra time to plan and provide additional feedback on work that they’ve turned in. Overall, it provides a much better learning environment for them,” Dixon said.
The United States has participated in Teacher/Professional workdays since the 19th century, but they’ve significantly increased since the ‘60s. Teacher/Professional workdays began as part of efforts to improve the quality and organization of education in the United States during the mid-20th century. In the early 1900s, teachers had little official time set aside for grading, lesson planning, or training, which made their workload overwhelming. As education systems grew and became more standardized, school leaders recognized the need to give teachers dedicated time to prepare lessons, complete administrative work, and participate in professional development. This idea gained momentum after World War II, especially during the ‘50s and ‘60s, when educational reform movements and laws like the “National Defense Education Act” encouraged better teacher training. Over time, schools began adding “in-service” or “teacher/professional workdays” to the calendar, ensuring teachers specific days to focus on planning and improvement without students present.
“Teacher workdays were something that was being done by other districts prior to Covid, and Cyfair decided to keep them because it gave teachers the opportunity to get grading and planning done,” Dixon said.
Teacher workdays are important for school systems because they give educators the time and space to plan lessons, assess students’ progression, and participate in professional development without the daily demands of classroom teaching. These days allow teachers to collaborate with colleagues, update curriculum materials and implement new teaching strategies that improve student learning outcomes. They also provide crucial time for grading, organizing classrooms and preparations for upcoming units or testing periods. By supporting teacher growth and organization, workdays ultimately help create more effective instruction, smoother school operations and a better overall learning environment for students. However, these given workdays often do not provide enough time for teachers, who consistently report working many more hours than their contracts require.
“Usually in October, that’s when there’s a lot of burnouts, not only from teachers, but from students. Getting that opportunity to have a couple days here or there allows staff to get themselves caught up and gives them a breather, and I think it helps students get themselves back together,” Dixon said.
We will continue to have Teacher/Professional workdays in CFISD because they play a vital role in maintaining the high standards of teaching and learning across our district. These days give teachers valuable time to plan lessons, grade assignments, and participate in professional education development that keeps them current with new teaching methods and curriculum changes. They also allow educators to collaborate, analyze and make adjustments to better meet students’ needs. By keeping teacher workdays in the calendar, CFISD ensures that teachers are well-prepared, organized and supported, leading to stronger instruction and greater student success throughout the school years.
“I think Teacher workdays are going to continue, especially with us. The ability to start school earlier in August gives a longer window for school, which gives us the ability to add these days that benefit everybody, especially staff,” Dixon said.
