School Districts Discuss Cross-District Programs

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange County school districts are moving toward sharing educational resources across schools.

In other words, students from one district could take courses in another district.

Members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Chapel Hill–Carrboro Board of Education, and Orange County Board of Education discussed the possibility Tuesday night at the Whitted Meeting Facility in Hillsborough.

The two districts have attempted cross-district enrollment in the past but factors like different schedules and travel distances led to low participation.

“I am extremely concerned about . . . equal educational opportunity and access,” said Commissioner Mark Dorosin. He expressed concern over one pubic school offering courses that another public school does not offer. He said schools should make certain courses available over the internet to give students in other schools an opportunity they would not otherwise have.

“I know there’s a multitude of AP courses that are only offered at Chapel Hill High, and that could be made accessible via internet to other students,” said Dorosin.

Members acknowledged that not all courses could be taught remotely. Orange County Board of Education Chair Stephen Halkiotis discussed the agriculture program at Orange County High School.

“There’s a quality group of teachers teaching the program,” he said. “It’s hard to do that online. To get the smell of a barn, to understand weighing a pig, you’ve got to get right in there with your rubber boots where the rubber meets the road or in this case, the rubber meets the pig poop.”

Members from each district agreed to keep the conversation moving forward.

School Districts Discuss Cross-District Programs

On Air Now: 97.9 FM