Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Reimagine Middle Schools topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District outlines phased rollout of advisory and project-based learning for middle schools, warns resources are limited
Summary
Bellevue School District staff described a multi-year Reimagine Middle Schools initiative that emphasizes advisory, problem-based learning and extended collaboration; leaders said budget constraints mean implementation will be phased and rely on volunteer innovation and targeted professional development.
Bellevue School District staff told the board on May 1 that a multiyear initiative to “reimagine” middle schools will prioritize advisory-based learning and problem-based learning (PBL) to increase student belonging and engagement, but that budget and staffing constraints will require phased, small-scale implementation.
Doctor Andrew Jackson, Director of Teaching and Learning, said the initiative grew from design work begun in 2020–22 and that the district established four priority areas: teacher teaming, extended class time, advisory, and problem-based learning. Jackson described year three of the plan as an “initial implementation” that has focused on professional learning, small pilot projects and materials development.
“We found a lot of success and excitement in the work,” Jackson said, noting pilots at several schools and district-directed social-studies professional development that connects PBL design elements to the Danielson framework. He said advisory will include a yearly scope and sequence to teach prosocial behavior, executive-function skills and student agency.
Board members welcomed the goals but repeatedly raised the district’s reduced capacity for large-scale rollout. Several directors asked how the approach would serve marginalized students and how the district would ensure consistent quality across schools if implementation relies on inspired volunteers rather than mandated, districtwide requirements.
Superintendent Kelly Aramaki said the district sees PBL as a potential tool to boost engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism, but “it has to be done well” with clear learning targets and professional development. He added that some students learn best alone and that PBL must be balanced with opportunities for individual work and individual accountability within group projects.
Staff outlined next steps that include continued targeted professional development tied to Danielson criteria, coaching for building leaders, and tying PBL units to teacher- and principal-goal-setting and student-growth assessments. The presentation flagged implementation risks: limited resources and professional-development time, reduced curriculum-development capacity, and the need for strong principal leadership to sustain the work.
Ending: The board heard that the district will proceed with cautious expansion of advisory and PBL next school year, leaning on voluntary innovators in buildings and targeted professional learning rather than a sweeping districtwide mandate, with the understanding that capacity limits may delay or reduce full implementation.
