Dear Central Bucks School District,

As you know, for the last year, Central Bucks has been evaluating plans to realign grade levels and implement full day kindergarten. A committee of staff, parents, and students has been meeting since the summer to analyze these changes, which would bring our schools into the following grade alignment: K-5 elementary, 6-8 middle school, and 9-12 high school, beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

I am pleased to announce that at our School Board Operations Committee meeting on Feb. 27, 2024, the committee voted to move the plan to the full School Board for approval at its March 12 meeting.

The Committee discussed implementation dates, and approved a plan that would both realign grade levels and introduce full day kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year. This allows adequate time for preparation and implementation, including: budgeting, facilities renovations, redevelopment of ninth grade curriculum to meet the high school block schedule, redevelopment of sixth grade curriculum to meet the middle school schedule structure, and development of a robust full day kindergarten program.

The School Board Committee also considered implementing this plan for fall 2025, but chose the 2026 date to allow for thorough planning and preparation. The Board Committee also approved a full day kindergarten pilot program for the 2025 school year. While plans are not finalized, a pilot is expected to run with several classrooms at some schools in the district that have space to accommodate the program while also still housing sixth grade in the 2025-26 school year.

The plan includes a $12 million one-time cost in renovations at our high schools to accommodate ninth grade, and $9.9 million in ongoing operating costs for staffing and supplies. Those costs will be phased in over three budget years and are anticipated to add an additional $7 each month to the average district taxpayer’s bill.  

The reconfiguration plan impacts all 23 of Central Bucks schools and will have wide-reaching benefits for our students. Our website contains a significant amount of information about this plan, including the hundreds of hours of important work the reconfiguration committee has devoted to it.

Thank you for your support for our district as we continue to move forward on this significant change. We will continue to communicate progress.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jim Scanlon, Acting Superintendent