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Parent says curriculum changes have reduced rigor and calls for restored leveling and a gifted program
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Summary
During public comment, Skye Zeller told the committee she is preparing to leave the district for middle school because she believes post-COVID curricular shifts have reduced teacher-led enrichment and removed accelerated and gifted opportunities for top students.
At the curriculum committee meeting, Skye Zeller of 90 Terrell Farm Place addressed the board during public comment to express concern about what she described as a decline in academic rigor and the removal of leveling and gifted supports.
Zeller said she decided to leave the district for her children's middle-school years rather than remain while the district —minimizes academics—. She criticized increased reliance on programs such as Prodigy and MyPath for students who had finished classwork rather than offering teacher-led enrichment, and urged the committee to "preserve academic rigor and achievement-based leveling within Cheshire Schools." "It is time for Cheshire to give the same consideration to the top band of students that is provided to the lowest band," she said.
Members asked clarifying questions about the evidence Zeller cited; she referenced a meta-analysis she said reviewed nearly a century of studies and argued that acceleration or grouping with other high-achieving students benefits top performers. Committee members thanked Zeller for her remarks; staff and presenters later noted the district's curricular reviews and priorities include work on differentiation and shared instructional strategies that aim to support students across achievement levels.
The committee did not take action on the comment itself; the meeting moved on to scheduled program reports.
