Lodi Unified board adopts 7‑period day for three high schools after hours of debate over staffing and classroom time

The Lodi Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously on Feb. 4, 2025, to adopt a resolution requiring three comprehensive high schools to move from a six‑period to a seven‑period day beginning in the 2025–26 school year. The board approved the measure 7–0 after extended public comment and discussion about implementation, staffing and instructional minutes.

Superintendent Neil Young told the board the 7‑period model ‘‘would allow for a wider range of course options including electives and career pathways, enable students to earn more credits each year, allow more students to achieve A‑G completion, allow students to engage in credit recovery during the school year, provide greater opportunity for interventions, increase graduation rates, and increase opportunities for early college classes and dual enrollment.’’ He said the district would use its current staffing formula to determine any increased staffing required and that teachers would teach five of seven periods while having two preparation periods.

Supporters — including teachers and students — said the extra period would expand access to A‑G courses for English learners and give students more elective and intervention options. ‘‘A 7 period schedule would enable students to continue ELD support while staying on track for higher education,’’ a senior at Lodi High told the board during public comment.

Opponents and skeptical speakers raised implementation concerns. Teachers and union representatives warned the measure could increase class sizes if additional full‑time equivalents (FTEs) were not provided, compress instructional minutes for hands‑on courses and labs, and create logistical challenges for athletics and CTE classes that require setup time. LEA President Lisa Lennon Wilkins said the association ‘‘is not objecting to a 7 period schedule. We are objecting…as to how this has come about’’ and asked for written assurances that elementary common planning time would not be tied to high‑school changes.

Board members pressed staff on details including class‑size protections, security and nutrition logistics if the final master schedule resulted in a single lunch period, and timelines for negotiating site‑level schedules. Superintendent Young and staff replied they would negotiate schedule specifics with LEA and site teams and would post implementation updates on the district website to keep stakeholders informed.

The board’s motion establishes an expectation of a 7‑period day for the three named comprehensive high schools and directs district staff to work with school sites, the bargaining unit and program leads to develop the schedules and implementation plans. If sites propose alternate hybrid schedules that meet contractual requirements, those would be negotiated with LEA.

Votes at a glance: • Resolution 2025‑18 (7‑period day for Bear Creek, Tokay and Lincoln/Nola High): approved 7–0. • Consent item A1 (pulled for discussion regarding legal services): approved 6–1 (board recorded that A1 passed with six yes and one no after discussion and line‑item follow‑up requested). • Other action items (short‑term classified employees, grant authorization related to electric buses, MOU for emergency school closure, ratification of agreements and side letters): approved 7–0 (individual roll calls recorded during the meeting).

What happens next: The resolution sets the district direction to implement the 7‑period expectation; detailed schedules, staffing projections, any necessary contract language and site MOUs will be negotiated and returned to the board as implementation planning progresses.

Provenance: Discussion, public comment and the resolution introduction appear in multiple places in the meeting record, beginning with public comments about the 7‑period concept (SEG 652–SEG 760) and the formal resolution presentation (SEG 1477–SEG 1550); the board vote and accompanying remarks conclude the item (SEG 1868–SEG 1876).