The New Braunfels ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2026-2027 school calendar during a regular monthly Board of Trustees meeting. The calendar includes holidays, early release dates, staff work days and an outline of the grading periods. 

NBISD teachers will return to work on August 3rd, 2026, school will start on Monday, August 17th, 2026, and the last day of school will be Thursday, May 21st, 2026. Graduations will be held on Saturday, May 23rd.

The district will observe the following student and staff holidays: Labor Day (Sept. 7th); Comal County Fair Day (Sept. 25th pending); Columbus Day (Oct. 12th); Thanksgiving Break (Nov. 23-27), Winter Break (Dec. 21-Jan. 1); Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 18th); Presidents’ Day (Feb. 15th); Spring Break (March 8-12); Good Friday (April 16th). 

Additionally, the following days will be Student Holidays and Staff Work Days or Professional Development Days – Oct. 9th; Nov. 30th; Feb. 12th; and March 15th. 

The calendar includes two early release dates for all grade levels on December 18th and May 21st.

Adrianna Citarella, NBISD’s MTSS Coordinator, highlighted the importance of implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in our schools, outline the current state of MTSS in NBISD, and describe the direction we are heading for the 2026–27 school year. This was launched in the 2024-2025 school year.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports include:

Tier 1- Universal Supports Historical Enrollment

Tier 2- Targeted Supports

Tier 3- Intensive & Individualized supports

NBISD has 15 to 20 % of students who utilize MTSS support.

“These topics are exactly what staff need. How can we get more people to attend?”- Secondary Assistant Principal

MTSS had three focus groups during the month of December that saw 71 people attend from pre-k to the high school being represented. 

Strategic Plan: Moving Forward into 26-27

Pillar 1: Access to Academic, Behavior & Emotional Support:

• Finalization of the Whole Child Guidelines.
• Launching MTSS meetings for the 26-27 school year.
• Narrowing down data integration systems.

Pillar 4: Consistent Student, Family & Staff Experiences:

• Continuing the MTSS Mighty Bites through the remainder of the 25-26 school year.
• Development of roll out plan and professional development training cycle around the whole child guidelines.

TASB Update 126 was released in October 2025. Within Update 126 there are 143 legal updates and 29 local policy update suggestions. Dr. Matthew DeLoach presented key highlights of the updates.

CQD (LOCAL) Technology Resources is one key highlight regarding Artificial

Intelligence. Among updates, it addresses required training on artificial intelligence based on House Bill 150 and House Bill 1500. It also outlines use of artificial intelligence by employees and students and builds on definitions and expectations outlined in CQD (LEGAL).

EIA (LOCAL) Academic Achievement is about grading/progress reports to parents. It reflects Senate Bill 12’s requirement that each parent have opportunities for two in-person conferences with their student’s teachers each year. It also added language that indicates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) without permission constitutes academic dishonesty.

Another key update is FFG (LOCAL) Student Welfare: Child Abuse and Neglect. This update changes reporting window from 48 to 24 hours and removes specification of local or state law enforcement agency to “as defined in law.” It also changes the policy in-line with Senate Bill 571.

More key updates can be found here.

House Bill 2 (HB2) passed during the 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, included information on new limitations to Texas school districts’ ability to waive teacher certification requirements for foundational curriculum courses within their district of innovation (DOI) plan. It included the process that districts must use if they wish to request approval from the commissioner of education to delay implementation of certification requirements for foundation curriculum courses until the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year. The process includes a Board approved district plan to address uncertified teachers.

Districts can apply for a delay in the new teacher certification requirements. Criteria as follows:

• Submit a plan for Commissioner of Education’s approval until the beginning of the 2029-2030 school year.
• Identify the total number of uncertified individuals currently assigned to teach foundation curriculum courses in 2025-2026.
• Specify at least one Educator Preparation Program (EPP) partner who will support certification efforts and reduce the district’s percentage of uncertified teachers.
• Enter the date of approval by the district Board of Trustees to submit the application for Commissioner of Education’s approval.
• Provide the web page link to the district Board of Trustees’ meeting agenda where the plan for the delay of teacher certification requirements was approved.
• Provide the webpage link to the board-approved plan.

Current NBISD District Of Innovation (DOI) Teachers include seven in Core Content and 11 Career and Technical Education (CTE), Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) & Non-Core for a total of 18.

There is a possible need for a delay if there is a unique career experience that would benefit teaching content. There are also alternative ways to hire including if the district and the state allow pathways to qualify uncertified teachers to fill challenging assignments. These are Not applicable for assignments in special education, bilingual education, English as a Second Language (ESL), or prekindergarten programs.

Next steps for teacher certification are: ​​to return in February and present the plan to the NBISD Board of Trustees; request board approval; If approved, post required information on or NBISD website; If approved, submit application to Texas Education Agency (TEA) for approval

The Board of Trustees approved the renewal of the district’s District of Innovation (DOI) Plan, which was originally adopted in December 2022. District of Innovation plans, approved by the Texas Legislature in 2015, provide school districts with flexibilities similar to those of open-enrollment charter schools by allowing certain exemptions from state law. 

These plans are valid for five years and may be amended or renewed at any time, provided the district maintains an “acceptable” accountability rating. As part of the renewal process, the district updated its current plan to remove provisions that are no longer allowable under state law and to consider the addition of one new exemption.

In September 2025, the Districtwide Educational Improvement Council (DEIC) began the formal renewal process, holding subcommittee meetings on September 29, October 13, and October 27. 

The DEIC approved the recommended renewal plan during a public meeting on November 3, and the proposed plan was posted online on November 6. The Board of Trustees discussed the renewal on December 8 and took action on January 12. 

The renewed plan continues exemptions related to the earliest possible school start date, state certification requirements (with modifications), teacher and administrator appraisal systems, minimum days of attendance, planning and preparation periods, probationary contracts, and adds a new exemption related to grievances. 

Provisions related to the campus behavior coordinator, the three-day limitation on suspensions, and suspension limitations for students below third grade were removed.

Trustees also approved a Dual Language program beginning in elementary school to promote bilingualism, biliteracy, and high academic achievement for participating students. The Texas Education Agency allows school districts to award one high school credit in Languages Other Than English to students who successfully complete an elementary Dual Language Immersion program, in accordance with the Texas Education Code.

Beginning this school year, eligible 5th-grade students may earn one high school “Languages Other Than English” (LOTE) credit for Spanish I upon successful completion of the Dual Language Program. This pathway recognizes the rigorous academic and linguistic work students have completed throughout their elementary Dual Language experience and allows them to continue their language development in middle school and beyond.

How does this work?
Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be awarded Spanish I high school credit. These students will then continue their Dual Language pathway by enrolling in Spanish II in middle school.

Eligibility for Spanish I credit is based on multiple measures, including:

• Successful completion of the Elementary Dual Language Program
• Strong academic performance in reading and math
• Demonstrated English and Spanish language proficiency

Eligibility decisions will be reviewed in late spring, once state assessment results are available, and families will be notified if their child qualifies.

Please note that participation in this pathway is optional. Families will have opportunities to ask questions and learn more before any final decisions are made.

The Notice of Election is required to be published in a newspaper at least once between the 30th day and the 10th day before the election. For the May 2, 2026 election, this notice must be published between April 2, 2026, and April 22, 2026. The notice must include the nature and date of the election, the location of each polling place, the hours the polls will be open, the location of the main early voting polling place, the regular dates and hours for early voting by personal appearance, the dates and hours of any Saturday or Sunday early voting, and the early voting clerk’s mailing address. Additionally, the New Braunfels Independent School District will post the notice and Order in the following places:

The Administration Center of the New Braunfels Independent School District.

This election will be held in Comal and Guadalupe counties.