During the Nov. 14, 2023 Tamalpais Union High School District (TUHSD) board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Tara Taupier proposed reducing the number of required courses for juniors and seniors from six to five. While the existing board policy allows students to take five classes with the principal’s approval, this change will allow upperclassmen to take five courses without approval as long as they are on track to graduate, according to Taupier.

Currently, seniors can choose to attend shorter school days if taking college classes or holding jobs requiring more than 15 working hours per week. However, if their schedule changes they must add a class for the minimum six-period day required by the district. Additionally, students aren’t allowed a free period in the middle of the day. This gap must be filled by a course, a teacher assistant position (TA) or peer tutoring role. According to Candace Gulden, counselor and English language coordinator, many students choose to TA due to lack of single-semester and elective classes. 

“There hasn’t been space in the electives. [For example,] the Social Studies electives are completely full, so that limits what students can take,” Gulden said.

Reducing the number of required courses for upperclassmen will benefit both students and administrators. For students, it will reduce anxiety arising from multiple responsibilities. Taupier explained that most students graduate with far more credits than necessary for graduation.

“This drive to constantly be more, more, more — we’ve seen [it lead to] an increase in mental health issues among [students] and an increase in the amount of stress,” Taupier said.

This change will also allow more time to pursue non-academic activities including work, internships, sports, hobbies and college applications. Work is important for many students according to Archie Williams High School senior and Student Trustee Gia Debok.

“As we are getting ready to go to college, we need to make that money to hold us over, ” Debok said. 

This change in board policy will also align Redwood’s schedule more closely with other high schools and colleges.

“At most colleges, five classes is the course load,” Taupier said. “Our kids are in a tremendous course load for four years.”

However, potential downsides exist for students who elect to take fewer classes. Gulden explained many juniors don’t understand that colleges focus more on senior year schedules than senior year grades as admissions officers often don’t receive senior year grades until well after application deadlines. 

“Your course schedule as a senior is going to be one of the very important factors when colleges are reviewing your application for admission,” Gulden said. “If you’re taking a light schedule — four classes and a TA to make your fifth class — most colleges are going to feel like that’s not preparing you for the rigor of college.”

For the faculty and administration there are likely to be more benefits than drawbacks. This change will benefit principals and guidance counselors by addressing the challenge of scheduling large numbers of upperclassmen requesting TA roles instead of taking a sixth course. It will also ensure that students take classes they are interested in. Debok noted the negative effect of students being required to take an unwanted class.

“Being forced into a class you’re not excited about can cause students never to go, which can affect attendance as well as their grade, affecting their GPA and [in turn] impacting their ability to go to the college they want,” Debok said.

Gulden believes giving upperclassmen more freedom could help them develop the decision-making skills needed for college. 

“I wonder why we aren’t letting students have more independence,” Gulden said. “Sometimes I think we hold that leash a little too tight.”