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Doctor Bales reports mixed early results from 4x4 high‑school schedule; board seeks school‑level data
Summary
Dr. Bales updated the board on month four of the 4x4 high‑school schedule rollout, citing about 2,000 survey responses that show higher student focus but concerns about stamina, pacing and course sequencing; board members asked for school‑level data and clearer staff training plans.
Doctor Bales, the district official leading high‑school schedule implementation, told the board the district is in month four of its 4x4 rollout and has begun collecting early feedback from students, teachers and staff. "So we had about 2,000 responses," he said, and school‑level results show mixed but mostly positive signals from staff and students.
The presentation summarized early survey findings and implementation work. Dr. Bales said students reported "38% positive" for the schedule, teachers reported about "46%" positive and nonteaching staff reported "85%" positive; common student praise included "fewer classes per day" and "more time for labs, projects and focused work," while common concerns centered on sustained attention during 80‑to‑90‑minute periods and gaps between semester‑sequence courses.
Why this matters: the district is testing a substantive change in how high schools are scheduled; adjustments could affect curriculum coverage, Advanced Placement pacing and students who rely on consistent routines or supports. Dr. Bales emphasized professional development and school‑level coaching intended to help teachers vary instruction in longer blocks: "You probably want to do the four different 20‑minute activities that you're working on," he said.
Board members pushed for more granular data and local implementation detail. A committee member asked whether principals and administrators are using walkthroughs and targeted feedback to support teachers who previously lectured for shorter periods; Dr. Bales said principals are focusing walkthroughs on classes with known concerns and that the district can link survey responses to individual students to identify groups with lower engagement. Another board member pressed for school‑by‑school training participation rates and results, arguing that pockets of strong implementation should be replicated districtwide.
Flex periods and grading changes drew extended questioning. Board members expressed concern that removing a previous grading floor could penalize students with executive‑functioning challenges and asked how flex is being used to recover missing work. In response, Dr. Bales described school discretion and examples of local rules: some schools automatically require students below certain thresholds to return during flex; others schedule targeted makeup sessions on set days.
District next steps include completing a second round of student/teacher surveys to create longitudinal comparisons, disaggregating results (including by students with IEPs), monitoring EOC results after January testing and continuing school‑level professional development. Dr. Bales told the board he expects more detailed data after the second survey and said administrators will return with findings and recommendations for adjustments.
The board did not take any formal action; the schedule remains in a monitoring phase pending additional data.
