High school plus doesn't add up for students

A plan designed to save Blair money could come at the expense of struggling students' ability to graduate on time.

High School Plus is part of a countywide initiative to phase out night school and cut the costs of keeping school buildings open in the evening. Blair joined the effort in September by allowing students graduating in classes of 2010 and 2011 to retake courses during the day or as an eighth period. But teachers are assigned to High School Plus classes on a voluntary basis, and if an insufficient number of teachers step forward, the program could actually hinder the very students it is intended to help.

While night school and Saturday school allow students to repeat up to 1.5 courses each semester, High School Plus currently permits students to retake only one course per semester. This difference may seem trivial, but for students who have failed or lost credit in multiple classes, a half-credit could determine whether or not they graduate on time. Assistant Principal James Short, Blair's primary High School Plus administrator, said that Blair can expand the program only if more teachers participate.

Even for those students who will graduate on time, High School Plus could prevent them from taking the amount of elective classes as they could through the night school program. If students must retake courses during the day or as an eighth period, they will undoubtedly have less time in their schedules for optional classes. Electives are an integral component of the high school experience, as they often expose students to fields they could study in college and, especially in the case of academy electives, can inspire the development of career goals. For struggling students, electives offer a break from the stress of core courses required for graduation.

High School Plus could also exacerbate a problem affecting Blair as a whole: overcrowded classes. While Blair's student population is dropping - current enrollment is approximately 2,870, down from 2,942 at the beginning of last year - staffing issues have prevented class sizes from decreasing as much as one might expect. Many classes are already overbooked with students taking them for the first time, so accommodating High School Plus students will likely prove a struggle. As long as class sizes remain large, students will have to deal with frequent classroom distractions and miss out on individual attention from teachers - attention that is crucial for students who failed the first time.

Teachers should recognize that the potential problems with High School Plus can be avoided if they participate in the program. If enough eighth period sections are offered, students can enjoy smaller classes and the opportunity to take elective courses during the day. Along with the invaluable reward of helping struggling students improve their education, teachers have a monetary incentive — they are compensated for teaching an eighth period at their hourly pay. But whatever the motive, their participation will help make High School Plus as helpful and effective in practice as it is in design.