A controversial change to high school graduation requirements,
including an allowance for middle school students to receive credit
for some math courses at the high school level has been approved by
school trustees.
Morgan Hill – A controversial change to high school graduation requirements, including an allowance for middle school students to receive credit for some math courses at the high school level has been approved by school trustees.
Under the new requirements, a student who passes algebra 1 and geometry in middle school will receive up to 10 of the 30 required credits.
However, credit given for the completion of these two classes would not count toward the total 220 credits needed for graduation. The student could earn those 20 credits in another area. Students are still required to take at least two math classes in grades 9-12.
The revision to graduation requirements also lifts the 20-credit limit in certain subjects and requires principal approval for outside units. High school students were limited by the policy to 20 credits obtained outside the district high schools.
Another part of the package modifies the requirement for applied arts, fine arts and world languages and would require students to have a combined 20 credits from two of the three areas. Ten of the credits for world-language classes could be earned in middle school, but those 10 credits would not count toward the 220 required for graduation.
The new district graduation requirements, approved by a 5-2 vote last Tuesday, align the district’s requirements in these subjects to state college-entrance requirements, said Pat Blanar, director of curriculum and assessment for the district.
Trustees Shelle Thomas and Don Moody cast the dissenting votes.
Overflow from the boardroom filled the front hallway and lobby at the District Office Tuesday night, as high school civics students, teachers’ union members and interested parents turned out to hear the discussion or offer comment on the graduation requirement changes.
Several representatives of the district’s music community, including Martin Murphy Middle and Sobrato High music director Erik Kalish, attended the meeting to support the proposed changes.
Kalish told trustees he was not only speaking on behalf of the band but for all students.
“High achieving students want to go above and beyond, take as many AP classes as they can,” he said. “I had a student come to me in tears, she had to take applied arts class instead of the AP class she wanted. It’s very upsetting to see a student in tears because of a situation like this.”
Band parent Marianne Snook said students who make a commitment to band should be commended, not penalized.
“I’m concerned when I hear there is a middle school counselor telling students not to get into band because if they can’t commit to four years why get into it,” she told trustees. “I have a huge amount of trust in all of our teachers, I just believe we need to put the needs of all of our children at top of the decision-making process.”
Trustee Don Moody reminded everyone that he and his family are music supporters, that his two daughters were in band during high school.
“I did live through scheduling as an issue for two students in my house,” he said. “I think making applied arts a requirement is an issue for me. If that wasn’t a requirement, band families and their students (wouldn’t have a problem). But I am bothered by fact that I’m being forced to make this decision tonight.”
Moody touched on one of the concerns that the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers had about the recommendation.
“I don’t feel that we’ve had an open exchange with the interested parties until tonight,” he said. “Even though I’ve lived through this, I’ve still learned some things tonight, and I wonder if there are still things for me to learn. For me to bring it all in and absorb it and make a decision now, I think that’s wrong.”
Moody said the district needs to have a process in place so that teachers, district office staff, parents and community members can work together to come to a compromise on important decisions.
Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers President Donna Foster, together with a large group of union members dressed in their blue union t-shirts, were allotted a block of time during discussion of the changes to present their concerns about the recommendation.
“We are interested in looking at what’s best for all children, this is not a question of teachers trying to stand in opposition to parents and students,” she said. “Our clients are the children, we have to carefully consider all the children. How does this impact their ability to graduate? One of our goals is support and high expectations for our children. Are these changes going to be in best interest of all students?”
Parent Rebecca Van Dahlen told trustees she supported the proposed changes because she believes they offer students more choices.
“Teachers in this district have made a huge difference in my children’s
lives, but I was concerned when saw the teachers’ union making a presentation,” she said. “I have no access to the teachers’ union. I voted you in, the union is nothing to do with me … You make the policy … I want you guys to represent me. It concerned me tonight when I saw the power the union had. I want my elected representatives to speak my voice.”
Though the discussion didn’t deteriorate into a shouting match, speakers were emphatic and enthusiastic in their comments, and it was clear there was an underlying tension in the room.
Trustee Bart Fisher, along with Thomas and Moody, said he believed more discussion involving teachers and community members needed to take place before the recommended changes could be approved. Trustees Mike Hickey, Julia Hover-Smoot and Kathy Sullivan said they did not believe additional discussion was necessary. Board President Peter Mandel said he did want to see a process in place, but not necessarily the process the teachers were advocating, which used a task force and steering committee structure.
Thomas proposed a motion that the staff’s proposal for changes to the graduation requirements be tabled and brought back to the board, after a committee is formed to discuss the recommendation, in November. The motion was defeated, with Sullivan, Hover-Smoot, Hickey and Mandel voting against it.
