Crosby ISD staff propose 105-minute block schedule for Crosby Middle School

District staff presented a proposal April 21 to shift Crosby Middle School to a block schedule for the 2025–26 school year that would lengthen core classes to 105 minutes and set electives at 50 minutes.

Brandy Gosney, director of secondary curriculum, told trustees the change aims to increase "time on task," allow deeper instruction, reduce transitions and expand embedded professional development for teachers. Gosney said core, state-tested classes and high-school-credit courses would meet in 105-minute blocks while electives would meet daily for 50 minutes.

Gosney outlined specific minute changes: sixth- and seventh-grade reading and math minutes would effectively double in the new model, and science classes would move to longer periods to accommodate labs and hands-on activities. She said the schedule creates opportunities for in-day professional development and planning time for teachers.

Board members raised several concerns. Trustees asked how teachers would be prepared to teach effectively for 105 minutes, how classroom management would be maintained for middle-school students, and how missed instructional time would be remediated when students are absent.

Gosney described a training plan that begins in May, continues through the summer and resumes at the start of school, using a "three-part chunk" approach to make the longer block more digestible for teachers and students. She said the curriculum department will work with campuses to avoid "unaccounted for minutes" and to keep students engaged.

On staffing and finances, presenters said the district expects to add one full-time teacher to accommodate schedule changes and that some honors and algebra classes would meet every other day under the block model. Trustees voiced concern that honors and algebra students seeing a teacher every other day could create gaps if a student is absent.

Trustees also asked for a plan for after-school tutorials and other strategies to ensure students who miss instruction can catch up. Staff said they will develop a tight tutorial plan and communication strategy to address attendance-related gaps.

No formal board action on the schedule was recorded in the meeting transcript; the presentation generated extended discussion but no vote that evening. Staff said they consulted with other districts that use block schedules and acknowledged the need for significant teacher supports during implementation.

Next steps discussed include additional planning, staff training and development of monitoring metrics to determine the schedule's effectiveness once implemented.