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Independence board approves press release backing four‑day school week ahead of ballot
Summary
The Independence Board of Education voted to approve a district press release supporting the four‑day instructional week and to urge support of the related ballot measure after a presentation that tied recruitment and APR gains to the schedule; some members said more multi‑year academic data and better community engagement are needed.
The Independence Board of Education voted to approve a factual press release supporting the district’s four‑day instructional week and to encourage community support for the related ballot measure.
Superintendent Dr. Grant presented the background and data the administration said supports the release, including statewide teacher pipeline figures and district results. “ISD’s APR results have had continuous improvement,” Dr. Grant said, noting APR percentages of 70.1% (2022), 76.4% (2023) and about 80% most recently, and reporting that the district’s retention rate since adopting the four‑day week was “approximately 90%.” He also said applications and the average years of experience among new hires have increased since implementation.
Board members expressed differing perspectives during a lengthy discussion. Several directors praised the schedule’s apparent benefits for recruitment, retention and teacher wellbeing and urged unity in district communications. Other board members said the district should be cautious about claiming victory on academic outcomes because multi‑year evidence is limited; they flagged persistent below‑basic performance in math and some ELA measures and emphasized concerns about childcare impacts for working families. Directors asked the administration to continue rigorous, transparent evaluation and to return to the board with updated data.
The motion to approve the press release carried on a voice vote. The board also moved to present a unified district message ahead of the election; several members said they would still reserve their personal ballot choices but supported issuing the release.
Next steps: the district will issue the approved factual release and continue to monitor academic and operational indicators, returning to the board with additional data and recommended adjustments as needed.
