When students fall behind in school, especially in math and language arts, they often get placed in extra support classes designed to raise their achievement.

Sometimes it helps. But often it comes with a price: Drudgery, fewer fun electives and sinking attitudes for kids.

This week, the teachers of Mills Middle School in Rancho Cordova joined a growing group of educators across the region in rethinking how they help such young people.

When the school year opened at Mills on Monday, students found themselves with eight periods in their day, up from six in prior years. Every student – not just those with low skills – was assigned double periods of math and language arts. And, in a notable change, every boy and girl is now enrolled in art, choir, computers or another elective.

It makes for a zippier day: Students have three minutes to get to class instead of five, less time to change clothes for P.E., and shorter science and social studies classes.

But many students, teachers and parents are welcoming the changes.

"I'm thrilled," said art teacher Mindy Andrus. "It's a shorter period for us, but we'll work around it. I would rather see all the kids get an elective."

For several of her students, including Kijani Collins and Delano Collins (the boys are not related), taking art is a new adventure. Both were placed in a second math support class last year, and as a result, had no time for an elective. Both recalled seeing other students playing instruments in band and studying art and wishing they could, too.

On Monday, they received their first art assignment, a self-portrait.

"Don't worry if you can't draw," Andrus assured them. "And guess what, it's going to look different the next time you draw yourself because I have some things to teach you."

Mills, a ranch-style campus near Folsom Boulevard and Coloma Road, is among several schools in Folsom Cordova Unified School District re-evaluating how students who fall behind are helped, said assistant superintendent Janie DeArcos. Mills is under pressure to improve its test scores under the federal No Child Left Behind program.

Mills and other schools have found that the common pattern of placing struggling students in a second period of math or language arts didn't always lift achievement enough because the classes tended to be repetitive and ineffective, DeArcos said.

"The kids thought they were being punished," she said. "They would get two periods of math while their friends were able to have art or music or something fun."

In the past at Mills, the day had six 55-minute periods. Now, it has eight 43-minute slots.

Educators at Mills decided to place all students in double periods of 86 minutes for math and language arts, Principal Peter Maroon said. Struggling students will get extra help, while those who are strong in those subjects will be pushed with deeper readings and extra projects. The schedule leaves room for all students to have P.E., social studies, science and an elective, Maroon said.

Those periods are shorter, which worried some teachers initially, but at least 80 percent voted to support the change, DeArcos said.

The bells had to be adjusted. Three lunch periods were collapsed into two. And students now have five rather than eight minutes to dress for P.E.

But if the first day was any indication, students and teachers are adapting.

"It's the first day, I want to hear you guys sing," said choir teacher Kathryn Rueb, who managed to pack a clapping exercise, an African game song, a personal quiz about favorite things, and some practical advice into her 43 minutes.

"Remember, you only have three minutes to get to your next class, so no dallying around," she said.

Folsom Cordova Unified is among numerous local districts weighing or making such changes.

Samuel Jackman Middle School in Elk Grove Unified School District, for example, added an extra period two years ago to make sure students in need of "intervention" classes also got electives, associate superintendent Nancy Lucia said.

Rocklin High has begun a new "Plus Period" where students who are not passing their classes have a shorter lunch so they can spend more time with teachers catching up with their studies, principal Michael Garrison said.

El Dorado Union High School District started "Cyber High" three years ago, said Stephen Wehr, principal of Oak Ridge High in El Dorado Hills. It enables students who fail classes to make up credits after school online, salvaging room in their daily schedules for other courses.

In addition, Wehr said, Oak Ridge this year began a tag-team approach with Algebra 1 courses for older students. A pair of teachers conduct classes at the same time, collaborating closely, and will swap students in and out, depending on their needs, Wehr said.

Call The Bee's Deb Kollars, (916) 321-1090.