Parents, teachers urge Ventura Unified to preserve Data Middle School's IDE Academy after "uncore" decision

Dozens of parents, teachers and students urged the Ventura Unified School District Board on Dec. 13 to reverse or pause an administrative change at Data Middle School that district staff described as "uncoring" '0'removing subject coring in the master schedule''to resolve credential misalignment and increase access.

At a packed public-comment period, speakers said the decision and related Title I notices naming teachers were shared with families with little explanation and without the year-long planning time staff say is customary. "This presentation finally gives context, but parents were shut out for months," said Susan Henson, a Data parent. "The message we got was: we're not interested in your questions."

District presenters said the move to uncore was prompted by legal and staffing constraints that made the previous cored schedule difficult to sustain at a small, block-scheduled middle school. Dr Bellis, who led the master-scheduling presentation, said coring '1'scheduling the same teacher with the same cohort across subjects in a block day''can severely constrain students' ability to access electives, accelerated math pathways and legally required services for multilingual learners and students with disabilities at small schools. Administrators argued that uncoring increases schedule flexibility and broadens access districtwide.

Many parents disagreed with the characterization that uncoring was the only viable path. "Don't dismantle the program," said Jeremy Potter, a Data parent. Multiple speakers said the IDE Academy is a districtwide draw that enhances enrollment and equity by offering hands-on STEM, arts and career pathways. Several parents who had planned to promote the program to elementary families said uncertainty and perceived lack of consultation already had depressed outreach for next year.

Board members acknowledged the intensity of community reactions and repeatedly emphasized a need for clearer communication. Trustee comments during the discussion stressed the difference between administrative decisions (such as credential alignment and staffing) and site-based decisions required by contract (such as bell schedule proposals under Articles 27/42).

What happens next: staff told the board the uncoring and credential work evolved as part of the district's multi-department master-scheduling process, and they are working to implement changes with principals, HR and associations. Parents asked the board to preserve the IDE Academy's identity and to give the community a fuller timeline and options analysis before the spring enrollment and School of Choice outreach.

The board did not take a separate vote on the IDE Academy program itself at the meeting; it did approve extending the meeting to hear all public comments and later approved routine business items and the first interim financial report.