BHS Labs Compromise to Take Effect

An updated compromise proposal for zero and seventh period labs at Berkeley High School has been created and will be carried out in the coming school year. Presented to the School Board on March 14, the proposal outlines the allotment of tax revenue from the Berkeley Schools Excellence Project (BSEP) to fund science labs at BHS next year, an issue which has spurred debate in the school community since November.

Under the finalized proposal, funding for two before or after school labs will be provided for all Advanced Placement and International Bacca laureate science classes at BHS. Another 1.0 FTE (Full Time Employees, a unit of funds from the BSEP parcel tax) will support an optional weekly lab period for students interested in more in–depth learning about chemistry, biology, or physics, but who are not enrolled in those courses at the AP or IB level. Next year, a total of 2.4 FTEs will be used for science labs, down from 5.0 this year. The 1.0 FTE that is used to enhance the arts at BHS will be retained under the proposal.

The remaining 3.0 FTE will be used for various enhancement programs in the form of the Equity Grants originally proposed by BHS Principal Jim Slemp. Next year we will have labs as they currently are for IB and AP classes,” confirmed Slemp. “No other classes will have required labs, labs will be taught in class. Also, students will have the option of a before or after school supplemental lab experience in either chemistry, biology, or physics.” Though there was some uncertainty during this spring’s scheduling process, the enhancement lab will not be remedial. The information in the course catalog about science labs is accurate and up–to–date.

This extra lab period is intended to give students an opportunity to learn more extensively about one of these subjects through additional lab work. The period will count as one credit and will be taught and graded independently of regular science courses. Due to confusion about the nature of the extra period, it was announced in a Thursday Parent Teacher
Association email that students will be able to sign up for the lab any time between now and the first weeks of next school year, in order to give students more time to become informed about the changes.

It is anticipated that most students who sign up for these enhanced labs will also be enrolled in the regular course in the same subject, but according to Slemp, this will not be required. Efforts are currently being made by the science department to give students who enroll in both the optional lab and the standard course an official honors designation. However, the likelihood of this coming to pass has not been confirmed.

Funding for science labs has been a contentious topic since the passage of the BHS Action Plan in late 2009, which outlined next year’s advisory system and altered bell schedule, among other changes. Under the original version of this plan, the BSEP FTEs, which currently support before and after school science labs, were to be channeled into a new system of Equity Grants to support various programs geared towards closing the equity gap at the high school level.

However, this provision was seen by some members of the science department and larger school community as potentially
damaging to the science program at BHS. In response to their opposition, and after a period of debate, a compromise proposal was created with input from science teachers. Superintendent Bill Huyett spearheaded and guided the creation of the proposal, which frees up a portion of BSEP funds without eliminating before and after school labs completely.

“The superintendent has played a very active role in this process, and with the transition of principals also occurring at this time, he is committed to standing in that role,” said Mark Coplan, BUSD Public Information Officer. “We’re
confident that it’s going to be smooth sailing.”

Photos:

• Science Lab (Phoebe Wong)