Dear Lion Families,

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, Livingston ISD will adjust school start and dismissal times for elementary and secondary students:

Elementary Schools (PK-5): 7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Secondary Schools (Grades 6-12): 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.

This change reflects Livingston ISD's continued commitment to making thoughtful decisions that support student well-being, safety, and success.

Research supports later school start times for adolescents. Teenagers experience different sleep patterns than younger children, and later start times can better align with their biological needs, supporting health, alertness, and readiness to learn.

There is also an important practical reason for this adjustment. New UIL heat-safety requirements will significantly limit outdoor athletic practices based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, or WBGT. In the intense East Texas heat, these requirements will make afternoon outdoor practices increasingly difficult during the hottest months.

By starting the secondary school day 30 minutes later, more outdoor practices can move to the morning, providing an additional 30 minutes of valuable practice time before school when temperatures and heat stress are typically lower.

This is a positive change for Livingston ISD. It supports the needs of adolescent learners, helps the district respond proactively to new heat-safety requirements, and creates better opportunities for students to safely prepare and compete at a high level.

The goal remains simple: to provide every student with an excellent education every day and every opportunity to succeed.

Game On means we adapt. Game On means we find solutions. Game On means we continue raising the standard of excellence across Livingston ISD.

Lions are leaders. Lions win. Game On!

Dr. Jeff Pack
Superintendent of Schools
Livingston ISD