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Staff recommends undoing middle‑school double blocks and shifting 5th‑grade band to 6th
Summary
Staff said long double blocks at middle school have not produced expected gains and recommended returning to shorter core periods; staff also recommended moving 5th‑grade band/orchestra startup to 6th grade because of scheduling, CKLA curriculum demands and space constraints.
District staff told the board the longstanding practice of double blocks (84‑minute periods) for middle‑school ELA and math has not yielded the anticipated improvements in student outcomes. "If we extend the amount of time that students have instruction in that content area, we should be able to increase comprehension," staff said when describing the original logic, but staff reported teachers have not observed the expected benefits and proposed returning to shorter, more effective blocks.
Staff also addressed music scheduling, saying CKLA (a new ELA curriculum) requires additional instructional minutes that impinge on the elementary IE (intervention/enrichment) block and that space shortages across buildings complicate the current 5th‑grade band/orchestra model. As a result, staff suggested beginning ensemble instruction in 6th grade as a way to balance instructional minutes and available space while preserving a strong music program.
