A proposal by Eugene 4-J to establish a common scheduleacross the school district has drawn criticism. A community forum is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
The proposal is to have consistent start and end times across the district. The benefit, according to 4J, is more instructional time for students. Tad Shannon is president of the Eugene Education Association, the union representing teachers and staff. He says the district is reducing classroom aides, and longer school days might heighten a crisis in student behavior.
Shannon: “Extending the day while simultaneously cutting staff who are vital to providing support, we think is a recipe for disaster. So, we’re hopeful that the district is recognizing that and will re-look at their schedule plans accordingly.”
The Eugene 4J School board is set to decide on the changes in the coming weeks.
The Community Forum on school schedules is Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 at the 4J Education Center, 200 N Monroe Street, in Eugene.
