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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Changes are on the way to Widefield District 3 as the board of education unanimously voted Thursday night to move sixth grade students from the elementary schools to the junior high schools.

School District 3 officials said the decision comes following months of study by a long-range task force.

As for when the students will move, the district plans on having them in the junior high schools by the start of the next school year.

District 3 board members said there are two main reasons behind their decision to move sixth grade students from elementary to junior high -- the first, overcrowding at the elementary level.

"To be honest with you we have had some growth from Fort Carson which is great for our student enrollment, but most of that growth has come at the elementary level, so some of those schools are nearing capacity," director of communications James Drew said.

The second reason for the move, the district said by relocating the sixth grade students they will be able to offer them more academic opportunities.

"We have not been able to offer as many offerings at the junior high level because we only had 50 percent efficiency there, so by adding the sixth graders we will be able to add staff which expands opportunities for all of our students at the junior high level because we will be operating our building more efficiently," Drew said.

Drew said the district will not be changing any boundaries. He said the sixth graders will go to the junior high they were originally assigned.

As for their teachers, Drew said the district does not anticipate having to lay off anyone.

"We are just starting our transfer process and we are opening those positions up, and those teachers that are highly qualified in certain subject areas will be able to move up, so no one should lose their job over this," Drew said.

To help integrate the sixth graders into the junior high schools, the district said they plan to have intervention time at the end of every day to make sure the students are not falling behind.

Drew said there will initially be some start up costs to get the move going, but in the years to come he says the district should save a substantial amount of money.