Citing low test scores and a high number of neighborhood families who choose schools further away as their reasons, Racine Unified staff is proposing that Janes Elementary revert from a year-round school to the nine-month schedule the rest of the district follows.
Janes families angry about both the change and that it was announced last week while their students are on their December break attended an informational meeting Monday led by Dr. Eric Gallien, deputy superintendent of schools.
When its year-round schedule was established in 1994, Janes was the only Wisconsin school of its kind, but recent test scores there do not indicate that the concept is boosting success in the classroom, a story in The Journal Times reads.
Janes students go to school for 60 days and then have a month off in April, August and December.
RUSD spokesperson Stacy Tapp told the newspaper that “testing data has not shown year-round education is producing better results compared to other schools” and that Janes scored a rating of 56.7 out of 100 on the state Department of Public Instruction’s 2013-2014 school report card. Additionally, Tapp said moving to a schedule in line with the rest of the district will mean more support for students, their families, faculty and staff there.
Members of the school board heard the idea Monday but were not scheduled to vote on it.