Baldwinsville — The Baldwinsville Central School District has not finished tinkering with the middle-level science curriculum yet.

The district likely will have next year’s eighth-graders take the Living Environment (biology) Regents rather than earth science, which traditionally comes first in Baldwinsville’s Regents exam sequence.

“Overall, Living Environment tends to have a much higher mastery rate,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Joseph DeBarbieri at the Feb. 8 school board meeting. “It is the one required [science] Regents exam and it tends to be a little easier for students.”

DeBarbieri presented the results of surveys given to “stakeholders” — students, parents, administrators, science teachers and an ad hoc committee — about the direction of the science curriculum.

“There seems to be a strong consensus toward making this change,” Superintendent Dr. David Hamilton said.

While about two-thirds of current seventh-graders expressed a preference for taking Living Environment next year, the “consensus” Hamilton cited was not as strong among parents and teachers, and the BOE showed some resistance to the plan.

Survey results mixed

?Current seventh-graders: Of 341 respondents, 68 percent would prefer to take Living Environment next year, 23 percent would prefer earth science and 9 percent had no preference.

?Parents: 211 of 402 families of current seventh-graders responded to the survey. Forty-four percent wanted their children to take Living Environment in eighth grade, 39 percent wanted earth science and 17 percent had no preference.

?Teachers: The district surveyed 31 science teachers (grades six through 12). Ten teachers recommended next year’s eighth-graders take Living Environment, nine recommended earth science, nine had no preference or no recommendation and one teacher said students should have a choice between the two courses. Two teachers refused to give a recommendation because they do “not agree with the direction of the district.”

?Ad hoc committee: Seven members recommended Living Environment, and three said they felt they “were unable to make a recommendation.”

continued — Why switch to Living Environment?

DeBarbieri’s presentation cited several reasons that the district should swap the order of the Earth Science and Living Environment courses.

?Achievement: Historically, B’ville students do better on the Living Environment exam than they do on earth science. During the 2014-15 school year, 96 percent of students scored a 65 or higher on the Living Environment Regents; 78 percent of students scored 65 or higher on earth science.

?State trends: DeBarbieri said New York state administers 237,000 Living Environment exams each year, compared to 152,000 earth science exams. “If you look at the trend across the state, there are more schools requiring Living Environment first,” he said.

?Difficulty: While some survey respondents said earth science might be too abstract for eighth-graders to understand, others said the Living Environment Regents requires a higher reading level. According to DeBarbieri’s presentation, the readability is the same across the board: “There are no SED studies on the readability of exams – state representatives indicate that the reading levels of exams are consistent for all four Regents examinations.”

?Sequence: The switch would “create a sequence that allows for an easier transition to using reference tables,” which are used in earth science, chemistry and physics. Living Environment does not have reference tables. “One of the teachers at the chemistry level said they are having to retrain students,” DeBarbieri said.

?More options: Hamilton said the goal of the accelerated science curriculum is to give students more flexibility for electives in high school.

BOE expresses doubts

The district’s proposal raised many questions for the school board.

“If you’re showing us these compelling reasons for Living Environment first, why have we [required Earth Science first]?” asked BOE President Victor Jenkins.

Board member Jim Goulet said that Baldwinsville traditionally has offered Earth Science as the first in the science Regents sequence.

continued — Goulet questioned what the change would do to staffing at Ray Middle School, Durgee Junior High School and Baker High School. He also asked if students would take earth science in ninth or 10th grade.

“We hadn’t gotten to that step because we wanted to figure out this cornerstone,” Hamilton said. “We want to make sure options are equally interesting and not just a track.”

“Why don’t we think through the whole path before changing one course?” Vice President Jeffrey Marier said.

The board also expressed concern about the lack of consensus among teachers’ opinions of the proposed change.

“It’s essentially split,” board member Steve Schweitzer said. “There’s no rhyme or reason; there’s no consensus.”

“I don’t think seventh-graders are in a position to adequately judge, but I’d be interested to see what students who’d been through both courses would say,” Goulet said.

Marier asked if the board would get the opportunity to vote on the change.

“We don’t have a formal vote, but I’m seeking advice and consent,” Hamilton said.

“The decision’s already been made,” board member Sally Dayger said.

Jenkins said the district should seek advice from BOCES and from districts who have already implemented this change, such as the Liverpool Central School District.

“I am sensing from the board that there is enough concern to warrant another discussion,” he said.

While the board wants more information, Hamilton said he doesn’t want to delay the process of scheduling next year’s classes. DeBarbieri said students’ course requests would start rolling in after the February break, and the scheduling process is complete by April or May.