(10/01/2024) Following a formal program review in the spring of 2024, the district will continue exploring opportunities for aligning new courses with state requirements while remaining focused on goals of the district for the 2024-25 school year. 

The middle school program will not implement a schedule change from the 7 period day to the 6 period day in the 2025-26 school year based on guidance from the School Board. Regardless, changes in program offerings are required due to changes in state guidance. 

The overall goal: The middle school program review process aims to achieve these desired outcomes:

• Improve student achievement

• Improve student behavior

• Reduce costs while maintaining high-quality exploratory programming 

Background: The last review process for middle school programs in the district was last undertaken when the district shifted from a semester model to a trimester model at the middle school level in 2009. 

• A review conducted from February - May 2024 studied each component of the middle school program including advanced courses, intervention courses, literacy instruction, high school credit coursework in math and world languages, and exploratory elective options. 

• The review also included exploring the shift from a 7 period day to a 6 period day as one strategy to maintain programming while reducing expenditures by $3.84 million amid a $21 million pending budget reduction for the 2025-26 school year. 

Feedback: The district is committed to continuous improvement, which includes review and comment on proposals from community and staff stakeholders. In the spring of 2024, the district analyzed program impacts and gathered robust feedback through an online survey at a series of three community meetings, staff meetings at each middle school, and a presentation online. Review the summary report that includes feedback and analysis.

What’s next: Recommendations for new courses and course requirements needed to comply with state arts and physical education requirements will be presented at the October 7 School Board work session. As future recommendations are refined, Anoka-Hennepin will share updates with the School Board and community before making decisions.