ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst middle school students will spend less classroom time in English and math next year and more in science and social studies, the school board decided Tuesday.
Elmhurst School District 205 said its schedule changes received praise from a state agency.
Under the new schedule, students will spend 55 minutes daily each in math and English next school year, down from 75 minutes.
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At the same time, students will take science and social studies classes all year long, with each course lasting 55 minutes. Now they take each class for one semester.
Electives, which have been 40 minutes each, will stay the same.
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At a school board meeting, member Beth Hosler asked what other school districts are doing.
Associate Superintendent Scott Grens said it depends on where one looks.
He also read a passage from the Illinois School Board of Education’s feedback on the plan: “Elmhurst D205’s decision to implement a schedule for the academic year that includes daily science and social studies demonstrates a commitment to providing a well-rounded education for its students in the upcoming years.”
The plan, the state says, will compare favorably to other school districts and ensure students will receive a comprehensive education.
Superintendent Keisha Campbell said the district did not reduce the number of electives available to students. At the same time, she said, the district is increasing the time devoted to core academic subjects.
“What we’re presenting to you is the best movement forward as it relates to the allocation of minutes to capture the holistic experience we value here at D205,” Campbell told the board.
Board member Kara Caforio said she didn’t want to see the changes slow the increase in scores in sixth and seventh grades.
“I just hope that with this schedule change, that momentum won’t be lost,” she said.
From 2021 to 2023, the percentage of sixth graders meeting standards on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness increased to 55 percent, from 35 percent. These are averages of the English language arts and math parts of the test.
Meanwhile, 64 percent of seventh graders met standards on the test last year, compared with 44 percent before.
The board unanimously approved the schedule changes.
Until six years ago, the school’s math and English classes were about 45 minutes long, officials said.
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