Topeka Public Schools proposes high-school course changes tied to state requirements and CTE updates

Topeka Public Schools staff reviewed proposed high-school course changes before the board, focusing on career-technical-education adjustments and state-driven graduation requirements.

Curriculum staff said the district must split health and physical education into two separate semester courses to comply with new graduation requirements, and that personal finance will be enforced as a distinct graduation requirement rather than allowing some previous substitute courses to count. The district is also consolidating or renaming geography courses (for example, replacing world geography and African geography with region-focused geography courses covering the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania).

Staff discussed several CTE changes and potential new offerings. A proposed aviation maintenance pathway and two students already doing private-pilot ground school as independent study were described; staff said legislative funds and staffing remain under exploration and that work is ongoing to secure instructors and space at TCALC. Technical theater course title changes were clarified as districtwide rather than tied to one school’s Little Theater program.

Board members asked about the mechanics of course placement in the proposed pipeline graphic and about potential ties to local Forbes development jobs; staff said some changes are state-required while others respond to local workforce opportunities.

No final vote was recorded on course changes at the meeting; staff said the item was a discussion to clarify changes for upcoming adoption processes.