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In line with ongoing conversations about personalized learning initiatives, the San Ramon Valley school board is set to discuss revising high school graduation requirements on Tuesday.
The changes on the table are considered two of the least controversial initiatives brought forward by staff in recent months — one would lower the high school graduation credit requirements and the other addresses students’ ability to take non-district courses for credit.
As this is the first reading of the revisions, no action will be taken at Tuesday night’s meeting, but final versions of both revisions are scheduled to be considered for approval at the Jan. 30 school board meeting. These changes would be implemented in the 2018-19 school year.
The revisions to the graduation requirement would bring the total mandated credits down from 240 to 220, and would drop the required elective credits from 80 to 60. The changes would apply to all comprehensive high schools and Venture Independent Study School, but they wouldn’t affect the existing requirements at Del Amigo High or for adult education classes, which currently stand at 210 and 180 requirements respectively.
High school students would still able to take up to 280 credits on campus if they desire.
Under the proposed initiative focusing on students’ ability to count non-district courses toward graduation requirements, district students would be able to receive credit for courses at a community or state college, or at a public, private or online institution. Previously, the district has not allowed students to count non-district courses toward their graduation credit.
The resolution clarifies that only up to 40 credits from these institutions can be transferred onto a high school transcript, with the exception of heritage schools (district partner sites that teach languages not offered at San Ramon Valley schools) or CollegeConnect (a dual enrollment program offered in partnership with Diablo Valley College).
It also would change the minimum school day requirement. Currently, administrative policy states that students need to be enrolled in six classes at all times, at least four of which are required to be district courses.
The resolution would change the language so that the minimum school day for middle and high school students is 240 minutes.
Also as part of the proposed personalized learning initiatives, though not on the subject of graduation requirements, deputy superintendent of educational services Toni Taylor will present the first reading of revisions to district policy on how student achievement is assessed.
This revisions would move up the high school course drop deadline to the third week of each semester, rather than the sixth. As with the other revisions, a final version will be brought to the board on Jan. 30 for approval.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the district administrative complex, 699 Old Orchard Drive in Danville.
In other business
* The board will hear a presentation on California High School from this week’s student board member. Local schools rotate giving presentations to the board on their general programming and activities throughout the year.
* School board members will hear presentations on the upcoming National School Counseling Week and Words Matter Week, both of which will take place from Feb. 5-9.
These weeks are part of a series of designated awareness weeks approved by the board in August.
* The board is set to finally hear a report on district facilities that has been postponed twice due to late meetings.
* Chief business officer Greg Medici will present a first reading of a board policy detailing the use of district credit cards. A final version will be brought for approval to the Jan. 30 board meeting.
* During a closed-session meeting an hour before the open session, the board will consider the appeal of an investigation report in a complaint against district employees.
*Also during the closed session, board members will confer with legal counsel regarding one unidentified potential case of litigation.
* At 5 p.m., the board will hold an open workshop to discuss a TRAFFIX insourcing analysis, which looked at what was needed for school bus operations to be delivered throughout the district by TRAFFIX, a joint powers authority formed to address traffic congestion around local schools.
