The State Board of Education on June 12 approved Bedford Academy’s request to add sixth grade to its approved grade span for the remainder of its current nonpublic approval term.

Bedford Academy representatives told the board the request is driven by continuity for current families: students who started in first grade and are advancing with the school want to remain through a sixth grade rather than change schools after fifth grade. The school said the current immediate need is small — the speaker noted one rising sixth grader — but added the expansion would let the school plan and recruit for a broader cohort in future years.

Why it matters: Adding sixth grade allows students to remain in the same elementary setting through age‑appropriate transition points and aligns with some local districts’ grade span configurations (K–6, 7–8). The approval is administrative and limited to the remainder of the school’s term.

Formal action: A board member moved to approve Bedford Academy’s request; the motion was seconded and the board voted in favor in the public meeting.

Ending: The board recorded approval and thanked the applicants; the decision was presented as a routine administration of nonpublic school approvals to accommodate a school that has completed required legal steps.