High School Issues
There was a request for this thread to discuss both high school issues especially around academics as well as around enrollment numbers. Below are some of the comments that started the discussion.
Enrollment numbers are still in flux, but it's not Just Garfield and Ingraham. Ballard and Roosevelt are also well (1800-1900) over the April enrollment projections, and my guess is so are some other high schools. This is even with Lincoln opening and Lincoln's numbers also higher than projected. But they knew this was the case in June. I am guessing the conservative budget will get/has gotten sorted out as these kids need teachers? It does seem like a poor strategy of planning.
HS Parent
@ HS Parent,
To the best of my knowledge, all of the high schools were short staffed. This was well known in April, June and over the summer. Every time this issue was pressed by the board, the answer was that SPS needed to be "conservative" and that it would be easier to add teachers in October, rather than move teachers due to over-staffing.
The option to work with schools to get the numbers are accurate as possible, seems to have never been on the table. When that question was asked by the board, the response from now-retired Deputy Superintendent Neilson was that Principals could not be trusted to provided accurate information, because Principals would naturally want to protect their staff and they needed to save principals from that unpleasant task to over-committing to staffing, that might potentially need to be moved in October.
This entire process has been utterly maddening. High School teachers were RIF'ed in May, for no good reason.
This will get sorted out, but it will be sorted out differently at each high school, depending on how savvy the principal has been in planning the master schedule and their ability to place long term subs into slots.
Because Running Start begins three weeks into the school year, students have options. And because of this, downtown may or may not add any additional staffing at high school before the Running Start numbers are final.
Kellie La Rue
Thanks for the information Kellie. Can you also believe we have all these students in the high schools? I am not sure about the trending declining enrollment narrative as it does not seem present at the high school level, at least in the schools mentioned. I was floored to hear that those schools are still full even with Lincoln opening.
HS Parent
Enrollment numbers are still in flux, but it's not Just Garfield and Ingraham. Ballard and Roosevelt are also well (1800-1900) over the April enrollment projections, and my guess is so are some other high schools. This is even with Lincoln opening and Lincoln's numbers also higher than projected. But they knew this was the case in June. I am guessing the conservative budget will get/has gotten sorted out as these kids need teachers? It does seem like a poor strategy of planning.
HS Parent
@ HS Parent,
To the best of my knowledge, all of the high schools were short staffed. This was well known in April, June and over the summer. Every time this issue was pressed by the board, the answer was that SPS needed to be "conservative" and that it would be easier to add teachers in October, rather than move teachers due to over-staffing.
The option to work with schools to get the numbers are accurate as possible, seems to have never been on the table. When that question was asked by the board, the response from now-retired Deputy Superintendent Neilson was that Principals could not be trusted to provided accurate information, because Principals would naturally want to protect their staff and they needed to save principals from that unpleasant task to over-committing to staffing, that might potentially need to be moved in October.
This entire process has been utterly maddening. High School teachers were RIF'ed in May, for no good reason.
This will get sorted out, but it will be sorted out differently at each high school, depending on how savvy the principal has been in planning the master schedule and their ability to place long term subs into slots.
Because Running Start begins three weeks into the school year, students have options. And because of this, downtown may or may not add any additional staffing at high school before the Running Start numbers are final.
Kellie La Rue
Thanks for the information Kellie. Can you also believe we have all these students in the high schools? I am not sure about the trending declining enrollment narrative as it does not seem present at the high school level, at least in the schools mentioned. I was floored to hear that those schools are still full even with Lincoln opening.
HS Parent
RF
-appalled
These were 9th graders who were wanting to accelerate
mathscience (but not ready to jump to Chemistry). According to Roosevelt, they can still be ready for college with 9th grade (physics/chem general science <-- where many were placed), 10th grade biology, 11th grade chemistry, 12th grade physics. But this decision then may preclude those students from taking other types of more advanced science options that roosevelt offers. This has to do with crowding and the fact that Lincoln did not help fix the overpopulation issues at Roosevelt, thus limiting choices. It sounds like from @kellie that this was a preventable situation.Roosevelt mom
- Roosevelt mom
Also, remember that current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders are all subject to the new 24-credit graduation requirements. If they can't get the courses they need, the district is risking their on-time graduation.
Core24
Thanks for the clarification. I'm glad to hear these were 9th graders who were at least assigned to the official science pathway courses, as opposed to being older students completely left in the lurch by SPS (which would not surprise me). With SPS moving ever-nearer a one-size-fits-all approach, I doubt they want students skipping ahead in science. To be honest, if some students were allowed to do so on a space available basis, that would surprise me more.
While I do not support the new science sequence, it's my understanding that these students can still take AP science classes starting in 11th grade if they want. It also doesn't seem like the end result is all that different than before, where the typical high school slate of classes included physical science, biology, chemistry, and physics. I think the only difference was maybe that some high schools (like Roosevelt, I believe) allowed students to skip physical science, whereas others might not? Most competitive colleges are going to want to see chem, bio, and physics on a transcript, so I'm not sure this changes things too much. Hopefully some of these kids will be also be able to take an "elective" science class as well if they want something in another science field, at school and/or via Running Start.
But yes, it's a shame the district is doing everything it can to reduce science options for those who have an interest in science.
Core24