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Smith‑Green board hears proposal to add grade‑six transitional teacher to close learning gaps
Summary
District leaders presented data showing a drop in proficiency between fifth and sixth grades and asked the board to approve a licensed grade‑six transitional teacher who would provide double‑period (90‑minute) reading and math blocks to deliver tier‑2 interventions to small groups of students.
District administrators asked the Smith‑Green Community Schools board on Feb. 16 to create a licensed grade‑six transitional teacher position aimed at closing a proficiency gap that appears when students move from elementary to junior high. The proposal would add one teacher who would run double‑period grade‑six classes — 90 minutes for reading and a 90‑minute option for math — to give targeted tier‑2 instruction to an estimated 15–20 students per class.
Administrators said checkpoint data show the district performing above state averages on recent checkpoint tests, but that longitudinal cohort tracking reveals a decline in proficiency around the sixth‑grade transition. They described current fifth‑grade reading blocks as 120 minutes of tier‑one instruction while most sixth‑grade students receive about 45 minutes of reading instruction, a structural difference they said contributes to the dip in achievement. The presenters noted state requirements that increase minimum instructional minutes and require screening and progress monitoring; they argued the transitional teacher would create time and structure for research‑based interventions rather than removing students from content.
Board members pressed administrators on schedule impacts and elective tradeoffs. Administrators said the transitional model would preserve students’ access to electives in most cases and could free periods elsewhere, allowing extended blocks in seventh and eighth grades if needed. They estimated current sixth‑grade enrollment at about 100 students and said typical sixth‑grade classes had been as large as 32–33, making smaller targeted sections more feasible for tier‑2 needs.
Administrators also described how they would identify students for the transitional blocks, citing checkpoint retest data and reading screeners such as DIBELS. They proposed moving carefully — piloting the model, monitoring achievement, and using the results to inform any further staffing changes for middle grades. No formal vote on creating the position was recorded in the transcript; the item was presented for board consideration.
Next steps: the board will consider the staffing proposal as part of upcoming budget and personnel discussions and will receive vendor information on a grade‑3–12 reading intervention in March.
