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Board members flag unequal course offerings across three high schools, discuss two-high-school model
Summary
School administrators told the St. Joseph School Board that Central, Benton and Lafayette high schools do not offer the same advanced and honors courses; staff said a two-high-school plan would likely allow more equitable course access and athletics opportunities but carries logistical and implementation questions.
The St. Joseph School District Board of Education discussed unequal course and extracurricular offerings at its three high schools and whether moving to a two-high-school model would restore equity.
District administrator Dr. McGinnis told the board that a recent comparison shows “quite a few more honors courses at Central High School compared to the other two schools,” and that some classes fail to run when only a handful of students sign up. “Typically 15 students is where we aim to have a class,” McGinnis said during the meeting.
The shortfall affects students’ ability to access Advanced Placement and dual-credit courses, staff said. McGinnis said unequal offerings can limit students who seek Latin honors because “to get the highest rank, summa cum laude, you have to have four AP or DC credits,” and some students at Benton and Lafayette have fewer opportunities to meet that requirement.
Board members pressed staff on alternatives that were tried, including busing students to Central or using online instruction. McGinnis said the district has tried busing for individual students, but the experience “didn’t feel included” to the student who tried it, and logistical issues such as second-hour scheduling made the approach difficult. On online learning, McGinnis said, “I wouldn’t say it’s the same experience as having a real teacher in front of you and engaging with your classmates on content.”
When asked whether a two-high-school model would help, McGinnis said it would increase the likelihood that more courses could run because “you would have higher numbers and higher requests for that,” allowing classes that currently fall below enrollment thresholds to be offered. Mr. Nolte, the district athletics official, said a larger, balanced two-high-school model would also make it easier to field freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams, giving more student-athletes game opportunities.
Board members and staff acknowledged trade-offs. Transportation, family choice and the potential loss of small-school benefits were discussed. The board did not vote on reassigning boundaries or on an immediate structural change; McGinnis and others said the two-high-school model remains part of the long-range planning discussion and would require further study of enrollment patterns, transportation logistics and costs.
The superintendent added that open enrollment already allows students to choose a high school within the district and that families are responsible for transportation if a student transfers after the district’s provided routes. Board members asked staff to return with additional analysis and prioritized options at an upcoming work session.
