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Teachers, students and community members decry cuts to dual‑credit classes, I‑Ready removal and transportation changes
Summary
Multiple public commenters — teachers, students and union representatives — criticized district decisions including the removal of dual‑credit courses, elimination of I‑Ready in some grades, staffing shortages, and busing changes they say endanger students and reduce opportunities.
During the meeting’s public comment periods, numerous teachers, union representatives and students described the effect of recent administrative decisions on classroom instruction and student opportunity.
Speakers asserted the district removed several dual‑credit courses at Hammond Central and elsewhere, affecting hundreds of students who lose access to college credit and early‑college pathways. Jessica Castile (dual‑credit teacher) said more than 200 students currently take at least one dual‑credit course and that schedule decisions and reassignments prevented offering the number of dual‑credit sections needed this year. "We currently have 200 students or more taking at least one dual credit class," she said, and she urged administrators to coordinate scheduling and use available grant funds to restore offerings.
Teachers and union representatives described widespread resignations and a reliance on substitutes, with one speaker reading the personnel executive summary numbers into the record. Speakers also criticized the district’s removal of the I‑Ready program from third through sixth grades and said teachers are being forced to supply materials out of pocket.
Several commenters, including Dr Mela, tied recent transportation reductions to incidents of children being struck by cars and pressed the board to restore routes: "...if something's not done today to address this it's not a question of if it is a question of when," the speaker said.
Students also addressed the board. A Hammond Central senior described loss of access to an associate‑degree pathway and said budget choices and program changes have hurt opportunities to pursue college and service‑academy goals.
Trustees and administrators listened and said they would gather requested data on dual‑credit enrollments, clarify how dual‑credit funding is recorded, and examine transportation and safety concerns. Several speakers asked the board to increase transparency, to provide requested data before future votes and to prioritize retaining experienced teachers.
