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District 5 previews modified 4x4 schedule to help students "get another bite at the apple"; trustees press for details on AP and fine arts
Summary
District 5 officials presented a plan to expand modified 4x4 scheduling at high schools to give struggling students more recovery opportunities; trustees asked how AP, dual enrollment and arts programs would be preserved.
District 5 administrators outlined a push to expand modified 4x4 block scheduling at some high schools in 2025-26 to create additional recovery opportunities for students failing courses midyear. The proposal would let some students take courses in shorter intensive blocks so those who fall behind can retake a course within the same school year.
Administration context and rationale Assistant superintendent Miss McCaskill told trustees the district identified hundreds of high-school students failing core classes at the end of the first semester last year: 412 students were failing English, 737 were failing math, 455 failing science and 336 failing social studies. McCaskill said those totals show a need for additional pathways so students can recover credits and stay on track to graduate.
She framed the modified 4x4 approach as a targeted intervention for students who need another chance midyear: “If they take it again in the same year... I've heard the material twice now. So it kinda gets me over the hump,” she told the board while describing other districts' experiences.
Trustee questions and areas staff said they are addressing Trustees and staff discussed how the change would affect AP courses, dual-enrollment and CATE (career-tech) pathways. Administrators said: - AP exams remain issued only in May; staff are considering pairing preparatory courses in the fall with AP courses in the spring so students would have the needed lab or prerequisite work prior to AP testing. - District staff said they are using online platforms (Edmentum and SC Virtual options) to preserve continuity for students who move between schools or who need asynchronous options. - The district emphasized each high school would adopt a schedule tailored to its needs rather than a single uniform model across the district. Some schools already run mixed schedules.
Arts, extracurriculars and scheduling trade-offs Trustees raised concerns about performing arts and band programs, where year-long continuity is important. Administration said many decisions would be school-level and would preserve year-long participation where necessary; some schools may use double-blocks or keep some courses on an AB schedule so that ensembles and labs retain continuity.
Pilot experience and outcomes Administrators said a small number of schools already use variations of block scheduling and district leaders reported examples where the alternative scheduling helped some students regain credits and graduate. The district is studying results and expects to follow up with more details before full-scale rollouts.
What comes next The board did not vote on the schedule change Oct. 6. Staff said they will continue school-by-school planning, meet with principals and counselors, and return with more specifics about AP course placement, transferability, and student counseling guidance for families.
Ending: District staff asked trustees and families to view the change as a targeted option for students who are failing courses, not as a wholesale replacement of current schedules for most students.
