Broward County’s school district is mulling over the possibility of condensing the high school class schedule to four days a week instead of the customary five. This consideration follows the success observed at Pompano Beach High School.
At its December 19 meeting, the board discussed the idea.
At Pompano Beach High School, students spend Fridays doing internships, volunteering, mentoring students at other schools, taking courses optional courses such as SAT preparation, or participating in extra-curricular activities, Principal Lisa Spencer told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Students still attend the number of hours required by the state each week, but they do that by going to school for more than 8 ½ hours per day, instead of the typical seven hours for students in other high schools. The school has been using this model since 1997.
Pompano High has been consistently A-rated by the state and is the only high school in Broward to rank among the state’s top 25 and the nation’s top 300, according to U.S. News & World Report’s list of best high schools.
“Whatever they’re doing, whatever the magic sauce is, we need to go there and see what that is, because it’s working,” Board Chairwoman Lori Alhadeff said at a recent meeting.
“And students want to go to Pompano Beach High School.”
Some board members skeptical
Some board members were skeptical of implementing the schedule at all high schools. They pointed out that Pompano Beach’s record of excellence may not necessarily be linked to its unique schedule.
“Pompano Beach is not a traditional high school,” Board member Debbi Hixon said.
“It is only magnet and those students are all high level that come there to begin with. They would probably be an A if they go to school once a week because they have students who are excelling to begin with.”
Some members said they were open to considering it at some schools, such as one in each of the seven School Board member districts.
Board member Dan Foganholi said he’d be interested in starting a program in his district in southeast Broward. He said the extra day could give struggling students a chance to get extra help and other students a chance to volunteer or get internships with the local business community.
“A lot of the data is going to be slim when you’re being innovative,” he said.
But other board members said they’d like to see more data as well as get feedback from parents, teachers, and principals. The district is expected to discuss the proposal again in February.
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