Board keeps separate ninth‑grade courses at Central and South; committee to continue data work

The Board of Education of Hinsdale Township High School District 86 decided Sept. 25 to keep the current ninth‑grade honors offerings for 2026–27 — World History Honors at Hinsdale Central and World Studies Honors at Hinsdale South — while administration and board committees continue work to improve course access, staffing and data transparency.

The decision followed months of committee discussion and public comment. The Academic Committee, the board’s Annual (A&O) committee and department chairs had presented four options ranging from a simple transfer of Central’s World History Honors to South to creating an aligned or new course district‑wide. At the meeting Social Studies department chairs Mark Meyer and Kathy Lencioni joined trustees to explain teacher recommendations and alternatives.

Public comment included a written statement read by Liz Niffa from Mary Satchell urging the board to adopt an aligned honors course that “combines the critical content of both courses,” and resident Kim Toro and others warning against sudden alignment during a superintendent search. Adolf Kalinski, a Hinsdale resident, criticized an administrative proposal referenced in the agenda that he said would eliminate orchestra courses at Hinsdale South; he urged creative alternatives to preserve orchestra access for South students.

The A&O committee presented early data showing differences in course offerings: committee materials referenced roughly 44 courses that run at Central but not South and about 10 courses that run at South but not Central. Committee members and administrators cautioned that not all differences indicate an “opportunity gap” — some reflect different student demand, facility limits (for example, tumbling or pool capacity) or program choices. The committee urged a more precise definition of what constitutes an opportunity gap and recommended a data consultant and a “master dataset” to underpin decisions.

Administrators described several practical scheduling and program strategies the district is exploring to increase access without undermining other programs: staggered or alternating offerings (e.g., run a low‑demand elective only every other year), consolidated electives with student ranked preferences to reduce singletons, and creating course‑level staffing targets instead of a single global staffing divisor. Trustees and administrators discussed transportation and scheduling logistics if students must travel between campuses for specialized courses; several board members suggested early‑bird, lunchtime or late‑period scheduling as less disruptive travel options.

At the meeting the board reached consensus to maintain the two existing ninth‑grade honors offerings for the 2026‑27 program of studies, while encouraging social studies departments to promote AP Modern World History testing as an optional self‑study pathway where appropriate. The board also instructed the A&O committee and administration to continue the data work, prioritize a master dataset and engage a data consultant to provide reliable enrollment, course‑request and staffing projections before the March staffing cycle.

Trustees said they expect the administration to provide clearer program‑of‑studies language describing campus‑specific offerings (for example, noting when a course is available at Central only and how South students can access the offering), and to present options for alternating low‑enrollment courses in future POS drafts. No immediate program changes were enacted; the board reserved March as the proper time for any formal new‑course proposals under district curriculum policy.