By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
A dispute between Zeeland Public Schools administration and parents of the district’s gifted and talented students over recent changes to ZPS’ specialty programs for the 2026-27 school year is continuing.
ZPS Superintendent Rod Hetherton defended the changes in his most recent superintendent update that was emailed to district parents on April 1. Meanwhile, a group of 70 parents calling themselves “The GT Collaboration” sent out an email March 30, calling for the Board of Education to extend the gifted and talented program.
Under the specialty program changes outlined by Hetherton last month, ZPS will cut the current gifted and talented program at Woodbridge Elementary School and close the ZQuest project-based learning school within Roosevelt Elementary School.
In its place, the district plans to institute two specialty pathways for the 2026-27 school year – one involving a project-based learning program called Z-PBL, which Hetherton says will combine the best elements of ZQuest and the gifted and talented program, and the other to consolidate ZPS’ Spanish immersion program into a single building at Lincoln Elementary School. ZPS also plans to institute extension programs – dubbed 4E and 5E – at each of the elementary buildings.
Other changes include a transition away from ZPS’ Venture Academy and Michigan Virtual coursework to Z-Virtual, a unified online pathway for those seeking a flexible learning environment. Venture Academy is a non-traditional high school that provides an individualized approach to academic and social/emotional needs.
Hetherton says the changes would save the district about $1.1 million. ZPS is expected to end the current fiscal year with a deficit of nearly $7 million, Hetherton said at a March 16 school board meeting.
In his April 1 message, Hetherton noted that ZPS’ specialty programs serve about 10 percent of the district’s students and contribute about 20 percent to the district’s current budget adjustment. He cited two main reasons for the changes.
“First, our specialty programs overall had the needed room for consolidation,” Hetherton said. “Second, our board-approved strategic plan requires us to review and refine specialty programming to reflect current best practices and to continue meeting student needs effectively.”
In its letter, the GT Collaboration alleges the changes were made without input from those that are being affected.
“The process that was driven and executed by our current administration has been rife with mis-information, constantly changing rationale and an overall lack of transparency in the decision making process,” the letter states.
“Unfortunately, the board meeting on March 16 and the many individual meetings and phone calls that have since taken place have done very little to provide clear, evidence based rationale for the removal of the program.
Under the current plan to eliminate it, the students who would have been eligible for the fall 2026 GT cohort will remain in their home schools with little to no support for their learning needs.”
The letter makes a formal request for the Board of Education to extend the gifted and talented program “until a comprehensive and thorough evaluation takes place, followed by thoughtful, transparent, and well-executed development and implementation of curriculum that will support our highest level learners.” It specified the following actions:
• Immediate reinstatement of the gifted and talented program
• A transparent, data-driven evaluation of advanced learning services
• Meaningful stakeholder engagement, including families and educators directly impacted
• A clearly defined plan for supporting advanced learners academically and socially/emotionally that is as equally beneficial as the current program prior to any future program changes
“Until these steps are taken, moving forward with the elimination of the GT program represents a disservice to students and a failure in responsible leadership,” the letter said. “We expect and urge the Board to act decisively to correct this course and ensure that all students - including our highest-level learners are ‘learning, growing and thriving.’”
A five-member administrative team, led by Hetherton, worked on developing the restructuring plan over the past year. Hetherton said the team “reviewed enrollment trends, program participation, staffing needs, financial stability and feedback from families and staff.”
No one from the Board of Education was involved in development of the plan. At the March 16 board meeting, Trustee Heidi Geerlings said she “agrees to disagree” with the plan, but added that the board’s policy gives the administration the power to make programming decisions.
Hetherton cited current research in gifted and advanced programming in the decision, citing the work of New Zealand-based education researcher and author John Hattie on educational best practices.
“Current research … emphasizes integration, extension, acceleration, independent study, cluster grouping, differentiation, and enrichment,” Hetherton said. “Our 4E/5E model intentionally includes these elements while allowing students to remain in their home buildings and access a broader range of opportunities. This is a shift, and its success depends on strong, consistent implementation with fidelity. That is where our focus is.”
The GT Collaboration challenges Hattie’s research.
“Research by John Hattie indicates that while gifted students demonstrate high potential, they are often underserved in traditional classrooms, frequently experiencing less than a year’s academic growth for a year’s input,” the group said in an email. “Additionally, Hattie identifies acceleration as having an effect size of 0.68, noting that it is most effective when students have already mastered prior content and are appropriately supported in
advancing to more challenging material. This approach builds on strong foundations rather than bypassing them.”
Also at issue was a discussion at the January board meeting regarding the district’s finances and the potential impact on district programs. The GT Collaboration letter quotes a statement in a budget amendment cover letter that states “we remain dedicated to continuing to offer alternative education programs such as; Gifted and Talented ...”
Hetherton said in his message that the statement referred “only to the current budget year, not future planning.”
“We understand the confusion this caused and regret that it was not clearer,” he said. “While this year's deficit will be absorbed through fund balance (savings), we are making program adjustments now to ensure financial stability in the years ahead. I apologize for the miscommunication.”
The GT Collaboration isn’t buying the superintendent’s statements.
“Having leadership that overlooks significant details like this, and then addresses them as minor oversights is very concerning,” the group’s letter states. “It erodes trust and causes the public to feel like they are being fed a false narrative. Dismissing such a significant misrepresentation as a simple error undermines confidence in the district's leadership and decisionmaking processes.”
The GT Collaboration letter also says the gifted and talented program has operated at a surplus over the last seven years, with the range of those surpluses at $63,000 to $243,000.
A total of eight positions would be eliminated as a result of the specialty program restructuring:
• Four positions through the transition from ZQuest to ZPBL
• Two positions through the transition from Venture to Z Virtual
• One position from gifted and talented (with 5th-grade GT continuing in 2026-27)
• One position from Spanish Immersion (phased reduction beginning in 2026-27)
“When we talk about reductions, we are referring to positions, not people. Our goal is to manage reductions through attrition (retirements, resignations, and leaves) whenever possible,” Hetherton said. “While layoffs cannot be completely ruled out for any organization facing financial challenges, they are not our intent … Retaining our people remains our priority.”
ZPS has begun implementing its in-district choice process for Spanish immersion, ZPBL and other building requests for 2026-27, which will be followed by out-of-district placements.
“Currently, all New Groningen (Spanish immersion) families who want to move to Lincoln for 26-27 have been granted permission to do so. New Groningen will continue to offer 1st-5th-Grade Spanish Immersion classes in the 26-27 school year. We have enough students to run all of our K-5 ZPBL classes at Quincy Elementary. Currently, ZPBL Kindergarten and 4th grade are already full for the 26-27 school year,” Hetherton said.
Zeeland Record
A dispute between Zeeland Public Schools administration and parents of the district’s gifted and talented students over recent changes to ZPS’ specialty programs for the 2026-27 school year is continuing.
ZPS Superintendent Rod Hetherton defended the changes in his most recent superintendent update that was emailed to district parents on April 1. Meanwhile, a group of 70 parents calling themselves “The GT Collaboration” sent out an email March 30, calling for the Board of Education to extend the gifted and talented program.
Under the specialty program changes outlined by Hetherton last month, ZPS will cut the current gifted and talented program at Woodbridge Elementary School and close the ZQuest project-based learning school within Roosevelt Elementary School.
In its place, the district plans to institute two specialty pathways for the 2026-27 school year – one involving a project-based learning program called Z-PBL, which Hetherton says will combine the best elements of ZQuest and the gifted and talented program, and the other to consolidate ZPS’ Spanish immersion program into a single building at Lincoln Elementary School. ZPS also plans to institute extension programs – dubbed 4E and 5E – at each of the elementary buildings.
Other changes include a transition away from ZPS’ Venture Academy and Michigan Virtual coursework to Z-Virtual, a unified online pathway for those seeking a flexible learning environment. Venture Academy is a non-traditional high school that provides an individualized approach to academic and social/emotional needs.
Hetherton says the changes would save the district about $1.1 million. ZPS is expected to end the current fiscal year with a deficit of nearly $7 million, Hetherton said at a March 16 school board meeting.
In his April 1 message, Hetherton noted that ZPS’ specialty programs serve about 10 percent of the district’s students and contribute about 20 percent to the district’s current budget adjustment. He cited two main reasons for the changes.
“First, our specialty programs overall had the needed room for consolidation,” Hetherton said. “Second, our board-approved strategic plan requires us to review and refine specialty programming to reflect current best practices and to continue meeting student needs effectively.”
In its letter, the GT Collaboration alleges the changes were made without input from those that are being affected.
“The process that was driven and executed by our current administration has been rife with mis-information, constantly changing rationale and an overall lack of transparency in the decision making process,” the letter states.
“Unfortunately, the board meeting on March 16 and the many individual meetings and phone calls that have since taken place have done very little to provide clear, evidence based rationale for the removal of the program.
Under the current plan to eliminate it, the students who would have been eligible for the fall 2026 GT cohort will remain in their home schools with little to no support for their learning needs.”
The letter makes a formal request for the Board of Education to extend the gifted and talented program “until a comprehensive and thorough evaluation takes place, followed by thoughtful, transparent, and well-executed development and implementation of curriculum that will support our highest level learners.” It specified the following actions:
• Immediate reinstatement of the gifted and talented program
• A transparent, data-driven evaluation of advanced learning services
• Meaningful stakeholder engagement, including families and educators directly impacted
• A clearly defined plan for supporting advanced learners academically and socially/emotionally that is as equally beneficial as the current program prior to any future program changes
“Until these steps are taken, moving forward with the elimination of the GT program represents a disservice to students and a failure in responsible leadership,” the letter said. “We expect and urge the Board to act decisively to correct this course and ensure that all students - including our highest-level learners are ‘learning, growing and thriving.’”
A five-member administrative team, led by Hetherton, worked on developing the restructuring plan over the past year. Hetherton said the team “reviewed enrollment trends, program participation, staffing needs, financial stability and feedback from families and staff.”
No one from the Board of Education was involved in development of the plan. At the March 16 board meeting, Trustee Heidi Geerlings said she “agrees to disagree” with the plan, but added that the board’s policy gives the administration the power to make programming decisions.
Hetherton cited current research in gifted and advanced programming in the decision, citing the work of New Zealand-based education researcher and author John Hattie on educational best practices.
“Current research … emphasizes integration, extension, acceleration, independent study, cluster grouping, differentiation, and enrichment,” Hetherton said. “Our 4E/5E model intentionally includes these elements while allowing students to remain in their home buildings and access a broader range of opportunities. This is a shift, and its success depends on strong, consistent implementation with fidelity. That is where our focus is.”
The GT Collaboration challenges Hattie’s research.
“Research by John Hattie indicates that while gifted students demonstrate high potential, they are often underserved in traditional classrooms, frequently experiencing less than a year’s academic growth for a year’s input,” the group said in an email. “Additionally, Hattie identifies acceleration as having an effect size of 0.68, noting that it is most effective when students have already mastered prior content and are appropriately supported in
advancing to more challenging material. This approach builds on strong foundations rather than bypassing them.”
Also at issue was a discussion at the January board meeting regarding the district’s finances and the potential impact on district programs. The GT Collaboration letter quotes a statement in a budget amendment cover letter that states “we remain dedicated to continuing to offer alternative education programs such as; Gifted and Talented ...”
Hetherton said in his message that the statement referred “only to the current budget year, not future planning.”
“We understand the confusion this caused and regret that it was not clearer,” he said. “While this year's deficit will be absorbed through fund balance (savings), we are making program adjustments now to ensure financial stability in the years ahead. I apologize for the miscommunication.”
The GT Collaboration isn’t buying the superintendent’s statements.
“Having leadership that overlooks significant details like this, and then addresses them as minor oversights is very concerning,” the group’s letter states. “It erodes trust and causes the public to feel like they are being fed a false narrative. Dismissing such a significant misrepresentation as a simple error undermines confidence in the district's leadership and decisionmaking processes.”
The GT Collaboration letter also says the gifted and talented program has operated at a surplus over the last seven years, with the range of those surpluses at $63,000 to $243,000.
A total of eight positions would be eliminated as a result of the specialty program restructuring:
• Four positions through the transition from ZQuest to ZPBL
• Two positions through the transition from Venture to Z Virtual
• One position from gifted and talented (with 5th-grade GT continuing in 2026-27)
• One position from Spanish Immersion (phased reduction beginning in 2026-27)
“When we talk about reductions, we are referring to positions, not people. Our goal is to manage reductions through attrition (retirements, resignations, and leaves) whenever possible,” Hetherton said. “While layoffs cannot be completely ruled out for any organization facing financial challenges, they are not our intent … Retaining our people remains our priority.”
ZPS has begun implementing its in-district choice process for Spanish immersion, ZPBL and other building requests for 2026-27, which will be followed by out-of-district placements.
“Currently, all New Groningen (Spanish immersion) families who want to move to Lincoln for 26-27 have been granted permission to do so. New Groningen will continue to offer 1st-5th-Grade Spanish Immersion classes in the 26-27 school year. We have enough students to run all of our K-5 ZPBL classes at Quincy Elementary. Currently, ZPBL Kindergarten and 4th grade are already full for the 26-27 school year,” Hetherton said.
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