[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6300509,"mediaKeyId","2492963-40bb95fdf89f69b58967cdce235eb3a9","parentId",2492963,"title","MMSD presents second‑semester class‑size report; district flags changing enrollments and possible boundary work","audioSeconds",1987,"startMs",4997460,"endMs",6984940,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2492963-40bb95fdf89f69b58967cdce235eb3a9&start=4997&end=6984","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2492963-40bb95fdf89f69b58967cdce235eb3a9/thumbnail_4997460.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6300509/Wisconsin/MMSD-presents-secondsemester-classsize-report-district-flags-changing-enrollments-and-possible-boundary-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6300509-911bda11afe0d480111171126206614a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773711622&Signature=PtQ2IJwf7N2DJ1GiINLRqmZvgpjVPCd5tO8nwMDOC8c4y-VWWS-gFoqZs1f0IAeeuOynni6k8URH8meobUs15DkmsmcYYbU~IMfp9HBD7H98nK4YqkFJ2m6n8SPyHuVGRB16-JpCvB02cQxZPr88XkSg4drfCpA7OdK-Cl4RjGcWxANPviZ4gpsnavlyJtyIG~RaJHmkJ27j9441T-i8Rb97dmnlm68zcti5DKUYRGo5XQ03pusT5c6lE6EIIq5baFIFA~Yw9b0BMF6slYlQLMX~4PsEqbRst2JwfKL8L0e52X5tXVGe0za-GXGe-Rz0oXX~gBorRNyhqkaMJ1tFxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison Metropolitan School District","date","2025-03-05T04:22:50.397Z","article","District staff on March 3 presented the Madison Metropolitan School District’s second‑semester class‑size report and told the Instructional Work Group the report is intended to track average class sizes, distribution by grade and content, and areas requiring adjustment.

Assistant Superintendent Green and an assistant superintendent for school leadership (names and titles provided in the meeting materials) walked board members through the report and the way the district displays data for elementary (by grade and AGR/non‑AGR designation) and secondary (by content area). The report is prepared twice per year under the district’s class‑size policy.

“Two documents: the memo that provides key takeaways and an overview around the class‑size reports that we provide per our class‑size policy,” the presenting staff member said, stating the report covers semester 2 and reminding the board that class‑size reporting is required two times per year.

Staff explained the district’s current planning targets at the elementary level: for AGR (achievement gap reduction) schools the district “tried, to the best of our ability to have class sizes of 15, 16” in kindergarten and first grade, while non‑AGR schools were planned toward 17–18 students per kindergarten/first‑grade class. The report shows distribution of section sizes, average homeroom sizes and counts in the policy bands (below minimum, optimal, below maximum, above maximum).

The secondary report is organized by content area and shows the number of sections falling in each size band and the average class size for each subject. Staff noted the report reflects scheduling realities at middle and high schools where course selection and student choice affect section sizes.

Board members pressed staff for clarifications about how allocations translate into schedules and asked whether a different visual format (for example a bar chart) could make the tables easier to read. A staff member agreed to ask the analytics team about alternate visualizations.

Board members also asked whether certain programs or schools consistently show outlier sizes. Staff replied that bilingual-program populations, new programs and continuing neighborhood housing changes can produce outliers. Staff explained the district keeps an “unallocated pool” to make adjustments during the year as enrollment changes.

On larger themes, staff and board members agreed that rapid city growth and shifting housing patterns are driving uneven enrollment changes across schools. “We are going to have to do some boundary review,” a district leader said, adding the district must develop processes for responding to changing enrollment patterns and facility needs.

The report was informational. The committee did not adopt policy during the presentation; the meeting proceeded to a motion to adjourn at the close of the item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3.3.25 Instruction Work Group","oneSentenceSummary","District staff presented the second-semester class-size report required by district policy, explained AGR and non-AGR kindergarten targets, and discussed enrollment fluctuations, scheduling pressures and the need for possible boundary review as city growth continues.","taxTitle","Madison Metropolitan School District, School Districts, Wisconsin","taxId",14857,"location","Wisconsin","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6300514,"Students urge more youth-led outreach as MMSD mental-health teams cite steady screening and targeted supports",1667,52110,1719750,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2492963-40bb95fdf89f69b58967cdce235eb3a9&start=52&end=1719","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2492963-40bb95fdf89f69b58967cdce235eb3a9/thumbnail_52110.jpg","/articles/6300514/Wisconsin/Students-urge-more-youth-led-outreach-as-MMSD-mental-health-teams-cite-steady-screening-and-targeted-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6300514-48098318ef6e9779641da01eee1a9e33/orig.mp4?Expires=1773711622&Signature=YPOJk2fR~Nqtk9uOu7qZdHNg7UB8oA3kYvh2xtGJb7ChYrQnqAyqAejuBHh9PrGEQ0BsByiynmV3e5COHpZMX5pXNwg37s0GppbwSwbOUYsGdRoQZVo4zEf58lUqkORN3bQfZliJFfqHnYmlN0kAnhesMB8sV172CnzNDIE5J49Hj0nsWdLiVnk6Wt4hDaPqw8tScxjeCWCiugGC9H1k5B-1ZgmX12xjXrh6xGSUsF-ikMamyKRBZFQgndbdBbGSQE4fJ-vpn0UsrWK-YlALVBczPZmlr-VscgeFZsXEVCtyyesTzopO2aBkCD~D8PIL5qRLiPXym4o9~dc3OhGNTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Four Madison Metropolitan School District students and district mental-health leaders on March 3 described screening results, school-based services and student-led outreach meant to improve access to counseling and reduce stigma.

The student presenters — Lena Cox and Lily Shapiro, co-chairs of the Student Senate mental-health subcommittee, and students Megan (student board representative) and Cara (Capital High) — summarized youth interviews and a student newsletter and asked the district to expand youth-led interviews, peer outreach and a planned mental-health fair.

The presentation matters because the district is using county- and school-level screening to guide which services to expand and how to reduce barriers. The district reported data from the Dane County Youth Assessment and universal social-emotional screening, and students described why they do or do not use available supports.

“Mental health as a continuum,” said Dr. Kristen Getchow, director of mental health and well‑being, explaining the district’s framing of supports from universal skill-building to targeted interventions. District staff said more than 6,000 Madison middle- and high‑school students provided Dane County Youth Assessment data this cycle, and school teams screened over 5,000 students through universal social‑emotional measures this year.

Dr. Leah Esser, executive director of student staff supports, told the group the district is expanding school-based behavioral health: “The data that’s here is from our first semester, with 3 therapists in our comprehensive high schools. We’re excited to say we now have a fourth therapist hired and placed.” She said the district is planning further expansion for the 2025–26 school year.

Students described findings from interviews they helped conduct. Megan summarized interviews at multiple high schools and said students reported three top reasons for anxiety in 2024. She said many students perform a “cost‑benefit analysis” before skipping class, and that a teacher’s connection matters: if a teacher notices and reaches out, students were more likely to return to class. Multiple students told interviewers that “positive reinforcement has better results than negative repercussions” for addressing chronic absenteeism.

Lena Cox and Lily Shapiro said their committee produces a monthly mental‑health newsletter (the February edition is linked in board materials), is planning a mental‑health fair in May and is discussing a student‑led summit in April. “It’s a goal of ours to destigmatize mental health, bring more conversations, more students, get resources, get information,” Lena said.

Students and staff said common coping strategies include music, time with friends, phone use and comfort food, and that phone use is often used to “tune out” while remaining physically present in class. Lily Shapiro described phone use as sometimes therapeutic and sometimes distracting: “A lot of times students do just want to tune everything out.”

District staff described partnerships and research informing practice. The district works with Journey Mental Health Center and University of Wisconsin researchers to study factors that influence whether screened‑in students join group interventions. Early results emphasize relationships, clear communication about confidentiality and logistics as determinants of participation.

Board members asked about access and cultural relevance. Board member Nichelle (last name not specified in transcript) and others urged more outreach to students from immigrant and underrepresented communities and asked about culturally relevant clinicians and peer supports. Esser said the district is connecting with a BIPOC mental-health council and working to increase the diversity of school psychologists through a UW partnership.

District leaders said they are testing both universal lessons (for example in middle-school advisory) and targeted steps to increase students’ sense of safety and belonging in buildings. “They need relationships, they need communication, and they need us to have universal practices that are designed to shape their well‑being,” said Dr. Leah Esser.

The meeting closed with board members thanking the students and staff and noting the Dane County Youth Assessment full report has been posted to BoardDocs.

The presentation was discussion and information only; no formal district policy was adopted during this agenda item.","Students and district mental-health leaders presented results from Dane County Youth Assessment data, shared student-led interviews about absenteeism and coping, and asked the district to expand youth-led screening and peer supports alongside existing school-based services.","actionData","errors"]

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MMSD presents second‑semester class‑size report; district flags changing enrollments and possible boundary work

Students urge more youth-led outreach as MMSD mental-health teams cite steady screening and targeted supports