Leander ISD board discusses middle school course, hazardous routes and teaching positions

"We're still pushing to make that happen," he said.

Other highlights from the April 5 Leander ISD school board of trustees meeting:

Creating new positions

The board approved creating 10 new elementary-level contingency teaching positions for next school year.

Based on preliminary budget projections using low-growth estimates, staff recommended adding the positions "to prepare for the possibility of elementary enrollment growth above the low-growth projection," according to district documents. The net cost is estimated at $518,510.

Skoveria said releasing the position now means LISD has the chance to hire better candidates.

APS courses at LISD middle schools

The board reviewed with staff the Academic and Personal Success course, a middle school course offered for the first time as a result of budget cuts.

LISD introduced the course after shortening daily 90-minute math and English/language arts due to budget restraints, said Eric Haug, senior executive director of school improvement. The APS course covers required curriculum in both subjects.

"One thing we examined as a district was middle school schedules. When we looked into that, we found it would take about $2.5 million to keep [such scheduls] going through the years," he said. "It was a difficult decision to make. We said 'let's recommend another schedule that would have built into it something that would support math and language arts.'"

Todd Washburn, executive director of secondary curriculum, said testing data showed some negative trends among students potentially caused by an increase in rigor and shorter testing time.

He said APS teachers will regroup over the summer on ways to improve the course.

"There is a desire to have more challenges and not be so tied with doing exactly what's happening in the core class," Washburn said. "We would like to extend the learning and give students more time to collaborate and work in groups."