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Teacher urges board to preserve block scheduling, warning of lost access to vocational classes
Summary
Robin Davis, a teacher, told the board that moving to a straight/period schedule would reduce access to vocational classes for freshmen and sophomores, eliminate double completer opportunities and risk disengaging students who need hands-on learning.
Robin Davis (S2), who spoke during the public comment period and introduced himself as a teacher, told the board he opposes a shift away from block scheduling because it would limit students’ ability to enroll in vocational and technical courses.
“If we go to the straight age, our freshmen or sophomores who have large numbers of required classes are gonna have an extremely hard time getting vocational classes in,” Davis said. He warned that required course loads could leave students with no opportunity to take pro-tech classes and that losing those options risks disengaging students who ‘‘want to be there.’’
Davis said the district should preserve ‘‘the essence of block scheduling’’ or at least return to a 4×4 format for the coming year while staff evaluate longer-term changes. The board and staff later discussed schedule models, including AM/PM arrangements for the technical center to preserve access, and cautioned that state intervention or staffing uncertainties would complicate midyear changes.
Why it matters: Scheduling changes can materially change students’ course access, particularly for CTE and double-completer pathways. Board decisions about schedule structure affect graduation pathways, program capacity and alignment with regional technical centers.
What’s next: Board members and staff indicated they will continue discussing options and that more information and staff meetings will be scheduled before any formal adoption.
