Implementation Timeline

May-September 2022

• The Superintendent and School Board announce an agreement with the Teacher’s Union to bifurcate the 2023-24 school year and that about half of all students will receive three semesters of education in their current grade. The state also grants Neonetos an accountability waiver to have multiple timelines for chronic absenteeism reporting and state testing. Our families are notified about the opportunity for students who need additional time to catch up and be on grade level to participate in the transitional year’s “Third Semester.”

• Formation of a transitional bifurcation year planning committee that includes school leaders, teachers, parents, school support organizations, and students.

• Students who are well behind grade level, based on state and interim assessment data, and likely candidates for the Third Semester that starts in July 2023, are assigned to our strongest teachers for the 22-23 school year because these are the students we want to receive three consecutive semesters with our best teachers in hopes of no longer being behind when they start a new grade level in January 2024.

October 2022-January 2023

• District leaders hold community information sessions and facilitate teacher focus groups about the upcoming transition to a bifurcated year in the summer of 2023.

• Central office staff develop family communication materials in multiple languages.

• Transition professional development trainings are created for school leaders and teachers.

February-March 2023

• Teachers and principals formally identify students who can benefit from a Third Semester and extended year using student data from the state test and winter NWEA MAP assessment.

• Individual meetings between identified students' teachers and families

April-May 2023

• Individual letters are sent home to families explaining the new school calendar and why some students will attend a Third Semester in July and other start a new school year.

• School leaders finalize which teachers are assigned to Third Semester students and which will start fresh with a new group of students for first semester of a new year.

• All students complete state assessments in their assigned grade, even Third Semester students so teachers have access to valuable information that informs pacing for the final semester.

• Third Semester professional development and preparation sessions for school leaders and teachers.

July 2023

• We transition to an earlier start of the school year in July after Independence Day, instead of historically beginning in August.

• About half of our students start a new assigned 23-24 grade level, while half complete a “Third Semester” in their 22-23 grade.

November-December 2023

• Third Semester students complete the state test again for their assigned grade.

• Teachers host individual family meetings with Third Semester students about readiness for promotion to the next grade, which starts in January.

• Month-long “December break” starts shortly after Thanksgiving through the New Year for students, and some teachers participate preparation and planning time for the next semester or year.

• Community partners offer winter break outdoor and indoor activities for students.

January 2024

• Third Semester transition students officially start their new grade and the first of two semesters in 2024!

• Non-Third Semester students start their second semesters.

May-June 2024

• Our students completing their 23-24 second semester take the state assessment at the beginning of May.

• Memorial Day represents the end of the semester and start of a one-month summer break through the Fourth of July. Half of our students will transition to the next grade, and the other half will start their second semester in July.

• Community partners offer summer break outdoor and indoor activities for students in June. Teachers participate in a couple of professional development planning days for the next semester or year.

July-August 2024

• After Independence Day, about half of our student resume their school year in the second semester, and half begin a new year.

• In August, our state school report card is released for the first time with data from December and May testing combined. Results show Neonetos schools had the greatest single-year improvement in overall report card scores under the new system.