The BUSD Governing Board will consider voting to put a hold on the previously approved graduation requirements for the classes of 2022 and beyond and reinstate the old ones. (File Photo)

The Governing Board of the Benicia Unified School District will be holding another vote on the graduation requirements for Benicia High School at Thursday’s meeting before it embarks on its summer recess. Staff is recommending the board revert back to its previous graduation requirements in an effort to hold further discussions with the community.

On Jan. 14, the board held a study session to discuss proposed new graduation requirements for Benicia High and went into further detail at its regular March 16 meeting. The proposed requirements— which would go into effect starting with the class of 2022— aimed to increase college readiness for all students and were modeled after the UC system’s A-G requirements. These conditions included requiring an extra year of science, an extra year of math, two years of the same world language, one year of a visual or performing art and one year of a new 9th grade course titled “Get Focused.” The requirements were unanimously approved as part of the consent calendar at the board’s April 6 meeting.

However, community, staff members and students voiced their disapproval of the requirements, first at an informational meeting held at the school’s Performing Arts Building and again at the board’s June 1 meeting. Among the issues raised were the lack of staff and community input during the discussion process, potentially decreased space for electives and potentially increased difficulty for students to take band, drama or other arts courses for multiple years.

During the June 1 meeting, Superintendent Dr. Charles Young remarked that the district was planning to agendize the requirements again for further discussion and re-evaluation in the fall, but many speakers felt that the requirements should be voted on again much sooner. As a result, the requirements are back on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting for another vote, but this time the board will be voting to approve the requirements that were already in place.

As stated in the agenda, “After further discussion and public input, and recognizing the need to engage in a more robust process around this important topic, staff is recommending the board approve the previous previous graduation requirements, providing us the opportunity to re-engage the board, staff and community.”

The only change from the previous requirements is that the semesterlong healthy living class will be replaced by the semesterlong course “Get Focused,” which aims to help 9th graders learn skills to prepare them for college and careers. The class was initially proposed as a yearlong course under the proposed new requirements but will now only be offered for a semester if approved by the board.

“Get Focused” was part of a discussion at the June 1 meeting on proposed new courses for Benicia High’s 2017-18 year, but it was pulled from approval so the board could discuss it further. “Get Focused” will be discussed again at Thursday’s meeting as part of another round of course outlines to be approved or re-approved, including English language development, curriculum support (for students with Individualized Education Programs), teaching assistant positions and a revised course outline for Integrated Math 1.

Also returning to the board’s table is the course outline for Next Generation Science Standards physics, previously known as “physics of the universe.” This required course for 9th graders aims to introduce high schoolers to concepts of physics while also incorporating elements of earth science. Dr. Leslie Beatson, assistant superintendent of special services, requested the course be pulled from approval at the previous meeting so the board could hear a presentation on California’s Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This presentation will be delivered at Thursday’s meeting by Jan Rogenski, BUSD’s coordinator of educational services; Stephanie Rice, a STEM teacher on special assignment; and Andrea Jenest, a science teacher at Benicia Middle School. California expects NGSS to be fully implemented by schools by the 2018-19 school year.

In other business, Measure S Bond Director Roxanne Egan will deliver the quarterly bond update to provide information on school facility projects funded by Measure S, review items from the Citizens’ Oversight Committee and go over potential future projects.

The board will meet at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 15 in the Benicia Unified School District Board Room at the district building on 350 East K Street. There will be an earlier closed session at 6 p.m.

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