Tag Archives: BHS science labs
Amended BHS school board agenda expected
After yesterday’s storm over the agenda for tonight’s school board meeting, which did not include a compromise proposal on the Berkeley High science/equity controversy, it looks like wiser heads are going to prevail. According to school district spokesperson Mark Coplan, an amended board packet is being issued, which will incorporate Superintendent Bill Huyett’s compromise plan.
As soon as Berkeleyside gets the new plan, which Coplan said expands on the brief description provided to the board last week, we’ll publish … Continue reading »
Class sizes at BHS
Three Berkeley High science teachers have done an analysis of class sizes at the school. It’s an attempt to inject facts into the debate around struggling students at BHS, and whether cutting science lab time is an effective way to close the achievement gap at the school.
Part of the undercurrent in the debate is the tussle between the two largest programs at BHS — Academic Choice and Berkeley International High School — and the “small schools” — CAS, AHA, SSJE and CPA. The School Governance Council, which originally considered the proposal to eliminate 0 and 7th hour science, has a high representation of small school faculty.
D-Day for BHS science labs?
It’s increasingly looking like the debate over the future of science labs at Berkeley High is coming down to political maneuvering and brinkmanship.
When BUSD Superintendent Bill Huyett met BHS parents on January 19, there was a clear impression that some acceptable compromise had been reached that would both safeguard extra science lab time at the high school and find resources to improve the school’s bad achievement gap. There were suggestions that a letter would go out soon. BHS … Continue reading »
L.A. Times reports on BHS science lab issue
In case you missed it, the Los Angeles Times ran a feature story yesterday on the ongoing science lab debate at Berkeley High School.
It kicks off with this context information:
In the last school year, 82% of Berkeley’s AP chemistry students passed the rigorous exam, which gives college credit for high school work. The national passing rate is 55.2%. The school’s AP biology and physics students are even more successful.
Most districts would not argue with such a record, … Continue reading »
When Huyett met the BHS PTSA
A Berkeleyside reader who attended last night’s Berkeley High PTSA meeting with BUSD Superintendent Bill Huyett and other school board members emailed some of her impressions:
I thought tonight’s meeting was very good. It really got complicated; then we all realized that is part of the problem – the system as it is now is just TOO complicated. And this kind of thing is really complex in the first place. Then it was explained that –laws change, –BSEP was … Continue reading »
Superintendent Huyett issues statement on BHS science lab debate
William Huyett, Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent, this morning issued a statement to parents on the Berkeley High science/equity debate.
There are two important items in the statement. First, Huyett writes that the proposal is expected to come before the BUSD Board of Directors on February 3. BHS Principal Jim Slemp has been asserting throughout the controversy that the board did not need to approve the plan. Second, on my reading, the thrust of the statement is to support the … Continue reading »
Listen live now to BHS science flap on KQED
The Forum program which covers the Berkeley High School controversy is beginning now.
Michael Krasny’s guests are Jill Tucker, education writer for The San Francisco Chronicle; Karen Hemphill, president of the BUSD board; Mardi Sicular-Mertens, senior member of the BHS … Continue reading »
BHS science debate could be raised tomorrow night
It’s still unclear when the science/equity issue at Berkeley High will come before the Berkeley Unified School District board, but advocates for the current science lab schedule are encouraging supporters to attend tomorrow’s board meeting.
The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Attendees who wish to speak are given a yellow speaker’s postcard. If you don’t wish to speak when called, you can yield your time to, for example, one of the … Continue reading »
Next on the BHS agenda: Meeting superintendent
The controversy over the proposed elimination of 0 and 7th period science labs at Berkeley High has brought the school’s governance issues into the spotlight. Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Bill Huyett will attend a meeting with parents next Tuesday, January 19, to both explain his views and to solicit feedback.
Here’s the announcement from the PTSA:
The PTSA is hosting a parent meeting in the BHS library on Tuesday, January 19, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. … Continue reading »
BHS science/equity debate — the latest
Peggy Scott, one of the four parent representatives on the Berkeley High School Governance Council, sends this update from yesterday’s meeting:
[Berkeley High School principal] Mr. Slemp announced that the enhancement funds that pay for 0 and 7 period labs may not be available due to cuts in the state budget. He does not plan to take his new plan to the School Board meeting next Wednesday 1/13.
Additionally, the next SGC meeting, which planned to consider the first round of equity grants, … Continue reading »
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