Some students struggle to access electives

The number of elective classes versus remediation classes for the 2007-2008 school year became an open discussion topic at the January 21 meeting of the Fallbrook Union High School District board. Two factors impose restrictions on choices – time and need – but at the heart of the issue is the requirement imposed by No Child Left Behind legislation, which mandates passing the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) to graduate.

“We have an incredible amount of electives” says Ruth Hellams, referring to the classes offered at Fallbrook Union High School. Yet, for some 11th- and 12th-graders, access to them is difficult, says teacher John Buehman. Once students have fulfilled their state- and district-mandated curriculum for graduation and the course requirements for the California State University or University of California or other four-year

university they may have chosen, they’re free to follow their interests in any of the electives offered. But by that time, students wishing to take an elective class that may or may not have been part of the education goals they had as ninth-graders find there is no time left. It’s not for lack of choice but time remaining in their school days to take the classes, Buehman says.

Once students meet their core class requirements they can take electives credits. After a student completes two required science classes, for example, other science classes can be added as electives. All depends on which classes the student takes to fulfill his core requirement, and for those following college prep requirements, the choices may be limited, not by the variety of classes, but time. Another factor, Hellams says, is that “there are only six periods in the day.”

Moreover, in some cases class size is limited. For example, in classes like auto shop and technology, students must learn on the latest equipment to be ready for the job market. In this case, instead of over 30 students in a classroom such as in world history, there may be only enough equipment in auto shop for 20 students.

Electives may change from year to year, based on student interests and the number of teachers qualified to teach the subject. Making sure the type and number of classes offered is “like a giant jigsaw puzzle,” Hellams claims, as each site principal determines which classes suit students enrolled there. The Fallbrook Union High School district is no different than any other, she adds.

Even so, not all students are able to take special interest electives. Students facing CAHSEE may find access to elective classes limited. If students tested in 10th grade are not working up to exam level, instead of taking an elective like band or wood shop, their elective choices may be remediation classes in English or mathematics. In the 2005-2006 school year, 1,092 students took the exam in English and only 742 passed. Of the 1,062 students who took the mathematics portion, 724 passed. According to posted results, roughly 350 students are taking remedial English electives and 338 of the same students are enrolled in remedial math. They must pass the exam to graduate.

“So the question becomes, can we offer a full bank of electives and the necessary remediation? Because when you’re the student, the bottom line is graduation,” Hellams says. “So, how can you give the student both the opportunity to take the elective and the remediation necessary for passing the CAHSEE exam?”

Taking the test is mandatory, and for many students it is daunting. One student who passed the CAHSEE in 10th grade called it “intimidating.” He recalls sections of the exam being taped closed, with strict warnings about the consequence of breaking the tape prior to the start of the test. Although this student completed the exam in less time than allotted, he commented that its format was different than any he’d taken before, which added to the tension of exam time. For some students, this factor alone could impact test results, thereby leading to failure and the need for remediation classes.

Many non-class tutoring options are also open to students needing to retake the CAHSEE, Hellams says, at the high school, online and in Palomar College classes that meet in the evening at the high school.

There are ways for students to accommodate their graduation requirements and take electives, say Hellams, it just takes organization.