PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's middle schools will restructure next fall to give all students equitable access to education and take fifth grade out of the early elementary level. 

Over nearly two hours on Wednesday, the School Committee and district officials mulled the decision to move forward with an upper elementary and junior high school model in September 2026. Committee members were ready to move the project forward, while Mayor Peter Marchetti wanted to extend the decision to February or March. 

"I don't support waiting until March to make another decision about this, because then we're just kicking the can down the road, and everyone's in a pool of uncertainty for whether this is going to happen or not," member William Garrity said. 

"I'm in the firm belief we should just go ahead and do this, or, if the committee so chooses, to postpone one year." 

Grades 5 and 6 will go to Herberg Middle School, and Grades 7 and 8 will attend Reid Middle School.  

School Committee member Diana Belair said if the decision is pushed to the spring, the district will lose buy-in from families. 

"It's already driving me nuts to think about it, and I don't even have a fourth grader," she added. "I think that's not a good move." 

The change also comes with altered bell times to accommodate a three-tiered bus transportation plan.  A draft proposal has high schoolers reporting five minutes earlier at 7:20 a.m., middle schoolers reporting 35 minutes later at 8:10 a.m., and elementary schoolers reporting 20 minutes later at 9:05 a.m.