Las Cruces Public Schools scraps extended school year proposal
Lucas Peerman
LAS CRUCES - After hearing from staff and community members, Las Cruces Public Schools has decided not to propose a 2020-2021 calendar that would extend the school year.
The extended school year proposal would have drastically changed the calendar for schoolchildren in Las Cruces. Among the highlights:
- Elementary students would have started the school year in late July and ended in early June for 25 additional days of instruction.
- Middle school and high school students would have been in school from early August to late May for an additional 10 days.
- Educators would have worked more days and would have been paid accordingly.
Proposal to extend school year: What would it mean for Las Cruces community?
About two-thirds of staff and community members who responded to surveys over the past week said they were opposed to the proposal.
On Jan. 7, LCPS teachers and staff were asked to watch a video by interim Superintendent Karen Trujillo explaining the proposal and then to participate in a survey to determine whether it should be considered by the district's calendar committee.
Approximately 65 percent of the 1,058 staff who responded to the survey were not in favor of extending the calendar, the district reported.
On Jan. 9, the Trujillo video began circulating on social media, eliciting feedback from the community.
"We wanted to get feedback from staff and teachers first, because if they are not in favor there is no need to move the proposal forward for consideration," Trujillo said in a news release. "Unfortunately, once the proposed calendar was posted online, we had to ask for feedback immediately."
The district reportedly received 5,995 responses from the community survey, and over 70 percent of those who answered were not in favor of adopting the proposed extended year calendar.
The proposed calendar changes would not affect certain programs already in place.
"We are still committed to offering K-5 Plus at all 25 elementary schools, and extended learning at the middle schools and high schools for all students who choose to participate," Trujillo said. "It is clear that having a choice is important to teachers, students and families."
Next steps
The district says it will continue to seek calendar input from the public, including at a District Advisory Council Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, in the cafeteria at Lynn Community Middle School, 950 S Walnut St. There will also be feedback boxes at Camino Real Middle School and Zia Middle School because they have an open house on the same night.
The feedback from the surveys and the Jan. 23 meeting will be shared with the district's calendar committee, which includes parents, principals, teachers, administrators and union members. The committee will discuss the best calendar option, the district says, and once they make a decision, there will be an opportunity for staff and community to provide additional feedback. The committee will consider this feedback and present their recommendations to the school board before the Feb. 18 board meeting.
The school board could choose to vote on the calendar that night or wait to call a vote, but they must approve a calendar before the end of March.
News Director Lucas Peerman can be reached at 575-541-5446, lpeerman@lcsun-news.com or @LittleGuyInATie on Twitter.
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