Northampton High tightens FlexBlock rules after state complaint; principal orders students to use current teachers for support

Northampton School Committee members were told Thursday that Northampton High School has tightened rules for the school’s mid-day FlexBlock after the district received a state complaint questioning whether the period counts toward the state’s required “time on learning.” Principal Ben Tagliere told the committee he issued a memo to staff and students and implemented the change the week of Oct. 9 to reduce the district’s risk of falling short of the state-required hours.

Tagliere said the state’s problem-resolution office is using a narrow interpretation that structured learning time must involve students being with a certified teacher for curriculum-related instruction. To reduce the risk of a corrective action that could force the district to add many make-up hours, he said the high school will allow students to use FlexBlock only to go to teachers they currently have in a scheduled course or to approved, curriculum-aligned…