The Courier of Montgomery County reports that as the newly adopted Blue Bonnet Curriculum is rolled out in August by Conroe ISD, some students may experience reduced time for certain subjects and fine arts classes due to mandated instructional minutes for other courses in the curriculum.
In February, the district adopted the “Bible-infused” curriculum, which has led to controversy.
Covered by the Bluebonnet curriculum are kindergarten through fifth-grade mathematics, reading, middle school math and algebra. Those in favor of the curriculum argue that the materials are grounded in a scientific understanding of the most effective instruction in reading. Proponents believe that this method will result in higher standardized test scores.
The district has faced some challenges in scheduling for some campuses like Mitchell Intermediate, according to Deputy Superintendent Bethany Medford. Mitchell Intermediate is a fifth and sixth grade campus in the Woodlands.
Medford said, during a May board meeting, “The campuses (had to work through) schedule changes due to the adoption of the curriculum.” She said, “The 120 minute mandate is the cause of the adjustment.”
Last year, according to Mitchell Band Director Jason Harvey, he had fifth-grade students each day for 45 minutes and those in the sixth grade for 50 minutes. That time is now reduced to 35 minutes a day with the Bluebonnet Curriculum. He said the result of this is 30 fewer instructional days a school year.
Harvey thinks, “The kids lose that way.”
Officials from the district, however, say that they are committed to maintaining strong arts programming while positively affecting literacy instruction.
For kindergarten through third grade a minimum of 120 minutes daily is required for Reading and Language Arts.
Parents, in March put forth an online petition asking the district to reconsider its decision on using Bluebonnet. Kim Kepler, who started the petition said, the Bible-infused curriculum is “inappropriate and intrusive for schools to take over the responsibility of religious education.”
