The Chehalis School District and the Chehalis Education Association (or CEA, the teachers’ union) have a math problem. They think they’ll get more achievement from students by subtracting 90 minutes of instructional time per week for the next three years. This plan does not adhere to RCW 28A.150.220, Basic education — minimum instructional requirements, specifying 1,000 hours of instruction for grades K-8 and 1,080 hours for 9-12.
Chehalis Middle School (CMS) class periods are 43 to 45 minutes long. Over a 36-week school year, this adds up to 10 full days less instruction. The 2022-23 calendar has a total of 1,037.75 instructional hours available (if we subtract 30 minutes for lunch, but not aggregate passing time between periods.) Subtracting the proposed additional 54 hours per year nets 983.75 potential hours of instruction — below the state’s minimum basic education requirement for all students.
They claim surrounding districts are doing the same thing. This is false. No districts have weekly 90-minute coordinated planning periods. Those that have 60-minute ones also have a six-period day with 55-60 minute class periods on full days, shortened to 45-minute periods once a week. But at CMS, daily 44-minute periods will be shortened to 34 minutes or less during their eight-period day. What kind of quality instruction takes place in 34 minutes? None. There’s no time for hands-on activities, guided practice, engaging discussion or checking for understanding — teaching strategies that should be in every classroom every day.
This plan will widen the achievement gap. Schools are still recovering from the ill-effects of “asynchronous learning” during COVID-19. I haven’t talked to a single teacher or parent who has suggested less instructional time will solve learning loss. The district can and should employ other proven measures to help students. In December, they were awarded a $1,050,000 grant over the next 18 months to implement parent and family engagement and “dual generation strategies” to bolster student achievement. The grantors did not mean for them to create a schedule that requires grandma and grandpa to watch the kids for 90 minutes a week. They meant offering math nights again, or evening parenting classes (with free childcare). The district can afford planning time that does not reduce instructional time. Instead of funding a communications position to manage press releases and public relations, they could restore the math curriculum and instructional support position vacated by Katelyn Walsh, which oversaw coordinated strategies across all grade levels.
Parents who oppose this plan can join me at the Feb. 21 school board meeting to insist the district fulfill basic education requirements and not implement ill-planned changes on the backs of students and families. The board should move their meeting to the W.F. West High School commons to accommodate the scores of parents who will call on the board to better represent the interests of students and families.
The district is responsible for school start and end times according to the CEA contract, and has the power to amend this plan, which was conceived and negotiated in secrecy without any parent input or review.
Ceci Hauer
Chehalis
