The Gloucester County School Board voted Tuesday to pursue a $50,000 state planning grant to create a year-round education program. The year-round program would serve only a targeted group of students and would not replace the current school schedule.

School division superintendent Ben Kiser suggested a year-round program could serve struggling elementary school students. He said it could possibly serve 20 to 25 children in a multi-age grouping, such as second and third graders, and give them a schedule of year-round instruction uninterrupted by the lengthy summer break.

The children, and their teacher, would instead get shorter breaks throughout the year. Such a program would operate within the current school setting.

Kiser said other options include having a year-round program to serve gifted students or developing a plan for a year-round virtual program. The board left it up to Kiser and his staff to decide which option or options to pursue in developing the planning grant p...