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Board reviews dozen-plus proposed secondary courses, including DLP Spanish pathway and CTE additions
Summary
District leaders presented a slate of proposed new and revised secondary courses for next school year, including Dual Language Pathway (DLP) Spanish courses, performing-arts expansions and new CTE offerings; final approvals will occur at a future meeting.
Forest Grove SD 15 staff presented proposed new and revised secondary courses to the board on March 5; the presentation was informational and the board will consider formal approval at the following meeting.
Key proposals include additions and clarifications to the Dual Language Pathway (DLP): a Spanish-language-arts offering for seventh grade, Spanish-for-speakers and a new pre-AP Spanish language course at the high school designed to route students into appropriate AP-level coursework. District staff said the change aims to increase AP Spanish exam performance and support the Seal of Biliteracy pathway.
The performing-arts department seeks to expand beginning-band and beginning-strings offerings, make some theater courses year-long, and create a theater showcase course; staff said most of these adjustments are FTE-neutral in scheduling.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) proposals include mechatronics additions (including an emphasis on women in tech), fisheries and wildlife replacing an intro-to-forestry course, a new mid-level animal-care elective and adjustments to dual-credit pathways. Business-education proposals include student-based enterprise courses tied to DECA and a desire to eventually add structured computer-application coursework (Microsoft/Excel skills) if scheduling/FTE allows.
District staff noted two state-driven requirements: personal-finance coursework (a graduation requirement for the current sophomore cohort) and higher-education and career-pathway skills; the district is exploring options to embed those competencies in existing pathways where feasible.
Board and staff discussed FTE implications for programs linked to the new preschool (child development pathway) and the bond-funded preschool space. Staff cautioned that facility funding from the bond does not by itself provide ongoing staffing, so adding preschool-linked child-development courses will require scheduling or new FTE adjustments.
The board did not vote on course approvals at the March 5 meeting; the presentation was advanced for formal action at the next meeting per the districtprocess for course adoption.
