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Board reviews ESL consortium renewal and raises questions about 2026–27 course catalog
Summary
The board discussed renewing a $5,200 ESL consortium services contract for 2026–27 and reviewed the 2026–27 high-school course catalog, with members raising concerns about prerequisites and whether courses (including trigonometry) will be offered given staffing and enrollment constraints.
The Northern Cambria School Board discussed curriculum items on April 7, including a recommendation to continue using the Intermediate Unit (IU) ESL consortium for the 2026–27 school year and a review of the proposed 2026–27 high school course catalog.
Board member (Speaker 9) said the IU ESL consortium would provide assistance with state and federal requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act, support translations and offer teaching strategies; the contract cost is $5,200, a $200 increase from the prior year. Staff (Speaker 4) said the IU’s role is to supply materials and translation support and to help teachers implement strategies for English-language learners.
On the course catalog, members raised questions about prerequisites and staffing — noting the catalog contains many new course offerings but that courses will only run if enrollment and staff availability permit. One board member specifically noted the possible elimination of trigonometry and the potential “domino effect” for courses that require it as a prerequisite; staff said counselors and principals will manage scheduling and that course offerings do not guarantee a class will run without sufficient student interest.
Board members asked to review specific course prerequisites and to follow up with the superintendent and principals on any flagged items before finalizing the catalog.
