In the BUSD monthly newsletter, Superintendent Bill Huyett makes clear that his compromise proposal will be considered at tonight’s meeting, even though it didn’t make the board packet.
The new proposal is:
- To continue to provide extra time as currently exists for AP and IB Biology, Chemistry and Physics. At this time, AP Environmental Science is not included in the recommendation for additional time, but this is still under review while we determine what is needed to meet the requirements for the College Board Standards for AP Environmental Science.
- To begin an enhanced science option in College Prep Biology, Chemistry and Physics for any student who requests it. This would be a credited lab course to be held once a week before or after school. Approximately, 1.0 additional FTE would be required to implement this program.
Huyett goes on to note that whatever the merits of the recommendations, the pressures of the school budget may require a different approach:
While I am in support of these recommendations, and believe that thoughtful work has gone into developing them, at this time, I can only pledge that these recommendations will be seriously considered during the District’s budget development process for the next school year. We are just at the start of this process now and do not know with certainty what funds the District will have from either the State allocation or from the BSEP Special Tax. We know that the State budget is in grave condition and we are aware that we, along with most other districts, will have to again make major budget cuts both next year and the following year (2011-12). Therefore I want to emphasize that we must use our District process to determine whether there will be sufficient BSEP monies to provide additional allocation of teachers for all supplementary programs.
