At the Sept. 11 Manhattan Beach Unified School District (MBUSD) board meeting, community members expressed urgent concerns about overcrowded classrooms, teacher salaries, and the constraints of the three-week grading policy and the strain they place on both educators and students. Parents, teachers, and students gathered to discuss the impacts of these issues on the educational environment, calling for necessary changes to better support both educators and learners.
Teachers expressed difficulty in balancing their workload, with many advocating for adjustments to the grading policy to allow for more flexibility. They noted that the current system affects their ability to provide thorough feedback on student assignments and college recommendation letters. Shawn Chen, president of the Manhattan Beach Unified Teachers Association (MBUTA) and Costa English teacher, emphasized the challenges educators face.
“Teachers are concerned overall, not just in my department but across the board, about the policy that requires all work to be graded within three weeks,” Chen said. “The goal of teachers is obviously to provide timely feedback, but especially with written assignments, the process is complex and time-consuming.”
The impact of the grading policy extends beyond teachers to students. Henry Michael, a senior and Associated Student Body (ASB) Vice President at Mira Costa, shared his perspective on how it affects both groups.
“While initially put in place to help the students and teachers find clarity with grading and communication, the three-week grading policy does impose some limitations on in-depth feedback for extensive assignments,” said Michael. “With increased class sizes in certain sections this year, especially seen in Sophomore and Junior classrooms, I understand that there is greater stress placed on both the teacher and the student.”
The discussion also brought attention to salary disparities with neighboring districts, raising concerns about teacher retention. Chen highlighted that the maximum salary for a teacher in the MBUSD remains significantly lower than what educators earn in nearby areas, which could impact the district’s ability to keep qualified staff.
“The highest amount a teacher can make in our district is still about $10,000 less than surrounding districts,” said Chen. “We’re afraid we’re going to lose younger teachers who actually cost the district less money.”
Chen further explained that last year’s 8.22% increase in the district’s budget has not been reflected in this year’s contract offer, which proposes just a 1% salary increase for teachers. This has led to frustration among the teaching staff, who feel that the district’s offer is inadequate given the growing demands of the job.
“With all the things that go on in the world of teaching, it’s just not a fair offer, and we are trying to get the board to reconsider,” said Chen.
Parents in attendance echoed similar frustrations, particularly regarding the impact of overcrowded classrooms and the difficulty of securing letters of recommendation for their seniors. Nadine Flam, a parent of three MBUSD students, was one of many who sympathized with the challenges teachers face, advocating for changes to the grading policy to help ease the burden on educators.
“We are dismayed by what we see as a loss of focus on the important elements of the course vision statement and inclusion elements during these linear times,” said Flam. “I implore the board to step in and demand that the vision statement and values guide flexibility when making these choices.”
As discussions continue, both teachers and students hope for meaningful changes to address their concerns. Many emphasized the need for a collaborative relationship with the school board to create a supportive educational environment. “Ultimately, we need to work together to ensure that our students receive the education they deserve,” Michael said. The outcome of these discussions will be crucial for shaping the future of MBUSD and improving the overall learning experience in Manhattan Beach.
The school board is expected to address this at their next meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
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