CH‑Carrboro school board delays vote on 4x4 high‑school schedule after lengthy public comment

The Chapel Hill‑Carrboro City Schools Board of Education delayed a decision on a proposed shift to a 4x4 high‑school schedule on Thursday, voting 4–3 to move the adoption vote to the next board meeting after more than two hours of public comment.

The administration recommended the 4x4 block with a daily flex period as a way to improve student wellness and create more postsecondary and career pathways, particularly for students the district described as “school‑dependent.” Superintendent Dr. Hamlet framed the proposal as a tool to expand dual enrollment and support targeted interventions. “Tonight, we are here to expound upon our recommendation to shift how we approach the daily structure of our students’ learning environment,” Dr. Hamlet said during the presentation.

Opposition at the microphone was broad and sustained. East Chapel Hill High junior Camila Rodriguez O’Donnell told the board the change would erode language learning: “If you move forward with this plan, students taking language classes will advance to the next year and have retained little to nothing,” she said, urging the board to preserve year‑long language courses. Multiple student speakers and performing‑arts educators warned that longer but fewer semester courses would create long gaps between sequential arts or language classes, harming skill development and participation.

CTE representative Robert Ballard raised a separate practical concern: several block options would reduce hands‑on instructional hours for career and technical education courses below required thresholds. “We’re worried about hours,” Ballard said, citing a difference between traditional hour requirements and per‑block estimates and warning that failing to meet those hours could jeopardize accreditation and funding for CTE programs.

Support for the change also surfaced at the podium. Speakers from Equity for Education and other groups argued the model could reduce barriers faced by historically underserved students by aligning schedules to increase cross‑enrollment and dual‑enrollment opportunities. “We urge you to approve tonight this proposal to begin to help address the high‑school opportunity gap,” an E4E representative said.

Board members expressed a mix of urgency and caution in the ensuing discussion. Several said the proposal addressed longstanding equity and opportunity concerns; others cited a lack of teacher buy‑in, unanswered logistics about AP test timing and dual‑enrollment transportation, and worries about arts enrollment, continuity, and teacher workload. One board member asked how the district would preserve AP readiness if classes were taught in the fall and exams were in the spring; administrators pointed to options such as targeted review sessions during flex, before‑ or after‑school paid sessions and summer preparation funded by AP program allocations.

A motion to adopt the administration’s resolution was moved and seconded; a substitute motion to postpone the vote until the next meeting was then offered and passed 4–3 on a roll call. The board’s action means the district will not yet adopt a new schedule; staff said they would continue planning, stakeholder engagement and curriculum‑mapping work if the board ultimately approves the model.

The board’s next meeting will include the scheduling decision on the agenda; the district said it would continue community roundtables, professional learning and detailed planning for CTE, arts and AP continuity during the interim. The postponement leaves the proposal alive but unresolved, with administrators pointing to a school‑year implementation window that would begin professional work immediately if a decision is made.