The November 2019 School Board Meeting passed a proposal to add 7 classes to give Edina students in Middle and High School a choice of Honors classes where there was none. The current school board will be voting to take that choice away at the 2/10/20 meeting at 7:00 pm. There is a chance to change this decision if everyone lets the board know you want to keep educational choice.

What you can do:

Email the school board  to let them know you support choice in the schools next year. The current board doesn’t believe that parents and kids care about enhanced educational choices. I ask you let them know you do care. Your one email will reach every school board member. Tell them not to rescind Policy 601 which added choice.
You can also attend the meeting where they will vote. It is at the Edina Community Center, room 349, on Monday 2/10/20 at 7 pm. You can address the school board at this meeting

Background
For years,Parents have been complaining that 9th and 10th grade English was not challenging enough. One of the required 10th grade books is a graphic novel (comic book) at a 3rd grade reading level. About 10 years ago there was an enhanced English choice for students. In an effort to promote racial equity and test scores, that choice was eliminated and everyone had to take the same class.

This did not work. State test scores have declined. Students are not making the progress academically that they should be. It is time to go back to what worked.

We all know that Edina students are smart. 80% of Edina students are in the top half of all American students academically. This could affect 50% or more of our 9th and 10th grade students. Our schools offer enhanced choices in many subjects, but not in a few specific cases. That is why we need to add the challenging classes in 9th and 10th grade English that were just approved.

Middle School students currently can opt into enriched social studies in 7th grade, but not 8th. They may opt into enriched science in 8th grade, but not 7th. They may opt into enriched language arts in 7th and 8th grades, but not in the 6th grade. Policy 601 corrects those omissions and would give students more choice, if is not rescinded.

The school board should set policy at a macro level and let the administration work out the details at a micro level. The current board, specifically Erica Allenburg, Leny Wallen-Friedman, Matthew Fox, Julie Greene, and Janie Shaw favor rescinding choice for our students. This delay means our kids will not get a choice of these Honors classes next year.

Please let the school board know whether you agree the students should have a choice of Honors classes.