Board reviews dual‑enrollment course approvals and curriculum-change rules, including a new honors sociology offering

The board examined curriculum items including a proposed honors sociology course being offered for dual credit through Robert Morris University.

District staff explained the course is a dual‑enrollment offering that requires alignment with the university’s content requirements before college credit can be awarded. "When we contacted Robert Morris, we actually gave them our courses," a staff member said, and the district has adjusted some courses so they meet RMU requirements to become three‑credit classes.

Board members pressed for clarity on whether the course is truly new or a tweak of an existing AP or sociology offering; staff later clarified the district has AP sociology and other social‑studies classes but that the new offering involved curriculum adjustments. The board discussed criteria for review: staff reported an internal rule (adopted in 2007) that curriculum changes exceeding 30% must be brought to the board for approval; smaller changes do not require full‑board review.

Members also debated the district’s elective program size and equity. One board member asked whether maintaining around 100 electives stretches resources thin and suggested examining utilization rates; staff responded that the district serves about 2,100 students and that most electives run 15 or more students, with some art classes limited by room size.

Board members requested the old and new curriculum maps for side‑by‑side comparison and asked staff to include the resource lists used for the sociology offering on the next agenda.