No-Surprises Policy Pushed In Hinsdale D86

HINSDALE, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86 is considering a policy that officials say would improve the process of introducing new courses and changing the curriculum.

With recent elections, the school board has gone back and forth on curricula involving science and math. And now some board members say they are concerned with the social studies department's proposal to de-emphasize European history.

Over the summer, a board committee worked on a step-by-step policy for seeking feedback on curriculum changes from residents, parents, students and teachers – or in school jargon, all the "stakeholders."

"We created five new steps in our process. I don't mean that none of them happened before," Jason Markey, who started as assistant superintendent for curriculum in July, said at Thursday's school board meeting. "A lot of these steps happened in different ways, but we wanted to make sure that they were structured and that they were guaranteed in the process."

Under the proposed policy, new courses would be introduced individually rather than packed inside the more than 100-page program of studies, which the board approves annually.

"I agree putting them in the course of studies and then asking you to vote on them is not a very good way to introduce new courses," interim Superintendent Linda Yonke told the board.

Other districts, including Lyons Township High School, regularly place new course proposals on board meeting agendas.

Board member Debbie Levinthal said she had been vocal about what she saw as a lack of a "cohesive" process and the failure to account for all "stakeholder" feedback. She supported the proposed policy.

Board President Catherine Greenspon also said she liked the draft policy, but called for the finance and human resources departments to be informed of new courses. She said they are brought into the loop too late.

"It seems to me we're putting the cart before the course," she said.

Levinthal said she believed the new policy would give the finance and human resources departments more lead time.

Markey said he would consult with the heads of the two departments about the proposed policy.

During public comments at board meetings in recent months, some residents have called for more board authority in the curriculum. Others, though, have warned that increasing the board's involvement would result in micromanagement.