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Parents press board to end multi-grade "combo" classes in Escandido Spanish-immersion program
Summary
A group of parents urged the Palo Alto Unified School District to stop using multi-grade "combo" classes at Escandido Elementary, arguing the changing configurations harm curriculum continuity, social-emotional development and enrollment stability; parents asked for a multi-year plan to return to single-grade classrooms.
At the board's open public-comment period on May 13, multiple parents representing more than 60 families from the Escandido Spanish-immersion program asked trustees to retire combination (multi-grade) classes at second through fifth grade and to commit to a stable, year-over-year enrollment and pedagogical plan.
"We're asking for your help in retiring the use of combo classes at Escandido," Jenny Smith said, noting a petition from 60 families. Parents said combo classes disrupt curriculum sequencing, create larger and uneven class sizes, and impede students' social integration and relationships with their grade cohort.
"Our children in combo classes experience the school differently than those in single-grade classes," Bart St. Clair added, listing curriculum, class-size and continuity concerns and urging transparency about decisions that parents say appear budget-driven.
Speakers at Escandido urged the board to provide a clear, multi-year plan and greater communication, including options to market the Spanish-immersion program and establish enrollment pathways that stabilize cohorts. Several parents said repeated reconfiguration (for some students, three different class configurations over three years) has affected families' enrollment decisions.
School and district staff acknowledged the concerns and said site leaders have proposed plans to phase out combos; trustees and staff said they would continue to work on enrollment strategies and communications. The board did not take action on the public comments that night; trustees asked staff to follow up and to provide more information in future meetings.
What parents want: a consistent single-grade configuration across years, clear communication on staffing and enrollment decisions, and mitigation steps to support students in combo classrooms. What the board asked staff to do: continue site-level planning, return with clarification about the rationale and timeline, and consider family input when finalizing schedules.
