According to Superintendent Jeff Swensson, Senate Bill 189 would allow Carmel Clay Schools (CCS) to become labeled as a “high performing school district.” If this happens, Swensson said it would allow CCS to continue improving because, as of now, the state has no method by which to help them do so.

Swensson said, “I think (the bill’s passing is) real important because learning is all about achievement, which is all about getting better, which is all about attempting to be the best.”

Summarizing the bill, Swensson said, “(The) performance qualified school district…is designed to allow school districts that reach high academic standards to earn relief from various regulations.”

These regulations include the requirement of 180 days in school.

If passed, Swensson said that CHS students would have an opportunity to institute a schedule in which students take dual-credit college level classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Tuesday and Thursday, the students could get caught up on homework and participate in extracurricular activities.

Sophomore Ian Finley said, “I think (becoming a high performing school district) is interesting; (it) would definitely help us prepare for college, which is pretty much the goal of high school. I think it also offers a unique opportunity to have more challenging classes.”

He said, “(If college-like scheduling becomes an opportunity,) I would definitely be interested. I think it’d be very helpful and useful to try to get a feel for college, especially if you would get college professors to come in.”

For the bill to pass, Swensson said it has to pass through three readings in the Senate Education Committee before being read in front of the full senate. Then, the legislation will go to the House of Representatives for the same process. If the legislation passes through all the stages, it will become law July 1.

Swensson said he would give the bill an 85 percent chance of passing. He said usually if it passes through the senate readings it gains momentum and becomes legislation. So far, the bill has passed through the first senate reading.

Layla Spanenberg, CCS Board President, said, “(The bill will) absolutely help (CCS).”

She said that the flexibility given to school districts would be the best asset, given that the bill passes. Furthermore, she said the new flexibility, if the bill gets passed, would be the best aspect about the high performing label.

As for ideas of what to do with the newfound flexibility, she said, “(CCS is) just at the tip of the iceberg (with possibilities for ideas).”

Swensson said he agrees with Spanenberg in that college-like schedules are just one of the many possibilities, although not all plans have been thought of yet.
Swensson said, “Now we (at CHS) are very good, but why not get even better?”