Community and trustees press PAUSD for clarity on multivariable calculus offering

A dispute over how and when to offer a newly approved multivariable calculus (MVC) course surfaced at the Palo Alto Unified School District board meeting on Jan. 20, with trustees and community members pressing for a clear implementation plan.

Several speakers said the board previously approved a course proposal in December, but community members and trustees reported confusion after a Pali Ed Council vote the week of Jan. 13 that, according to Trustee Miss Gai, rendered the board’s earlier approval ineffective. Miss Gai said a qualified PAUSD teacher, Daniel Wen, has publicly declared his willingness to teach MVC and proposed the board place MVC on the Feb. 10 agenda for a transparent discussion.

Community member Leora Melamedov raised concerns that characterizing MVC expansion as a wellness risk masks cultural judgment against immigrant families who strongly support advanced course access. ‘‘We're not asking those kids or those families, why is this important to you? We're not having those conversations,’’ Melamedov told the board, urging the district to listen to families who want the course.

District staff and trustees acknowledged the implementation complexity — including questions about whether Foothill College instructors could teach on campus during the school day and the district’s stated preference for district teachers on the bell schedule. No final decision to change course offerings was made at the meeting. Trustee Miss Gai formally asked the board to agendaize MVC for Feb. 10 to resolve intent and implementation details.

What’s next: trustees requested a specific agenda item and clearer staff guidance so the district and the public can determine next steps for offering MVC in 2026–27.