SANTA ANA : Middle Schools to Go Back to 7 Classes a Day

Santa Ana Unified School District trustees have agreed to reinstate the seven-period school day for intermediate schools starting in the 1996-97 academic year.

The Board of Education voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to reinstate the seventh period. Trustees Audrey Yamagata-Noji, Rosemarie Avila, Robert W. Balen and Sal Mendoza were in favor, but Trustee Tom Chaffee opposed the idea.

The board reduced the intermediate school day in 1992 as part of a series of budget cuts. To implement the six-period schedule, schools eliminated a period of language arts for regular students and a period of English language development classes for limited-English students, said Joe Tafoya, assistant superintendent for the secondary division.

Under the new plan, all students will have a two-period language arts class or a language arts class and an elective. Most students now have six classes each day that run about 48 minutes apiece. Under the new schedule, students will have seven 45-minute classes, he said.

Mendoza said the additional class time will “allow the children to acquire the skills they need to move forward with their educational careers.” “

Before the vote, board members and administrators emphasized their support--in concept--for adding the extra period for the 1995-96 school year. But they said the $1.9-million cost made the plan unworkable, especially in light of the financial turmoil that has resulted from the county’s bankruptcy. About 50 new teachers must be hired to implement the program.