Dothan and Houston County schools both short of needed textbooks

The transition from a four-block schedule to a seven-period day appears to have left the Houston County Schools and Dothan City Schools short of books to provide students who are now taking nearly double the number of classes per semester as they did last year.

Officials from both systems said they came up short of the number of books they needed to accommodate their students when classes began about four weeks ago. The Houston County Schools and the Dothan City Schools went from a four-block schedule to a seven-period day at the beginning of the school year to save money and to ensure students took academic classes every semester of their high school careers. Under the old system, students could spend up to a whole year without taking an academic class because of the way courses were set up. School system officials say the seven-period day saves money because it reduces the number of teachers needed.

Roy Watford, Houston County Schools curriculum director, said his system was short about 5 percent of the total number of books it needed at the beginning of the year. Watford said all of the needed books have been back-ordered and should have arrived by Friday.

Sam Nichols, Dothan City School superintendent, said the Dothan City Schools have experienced book shortages throughout the system, especially at the high school level. Nichols said every school system experiences book shortages at the beginning of the school year, but the problem was pronounced this year. Nichols said inaccurate inventories and book counts during the schedule transition led to the shortfall.

Nichols was unable to specify the exact number of missing books, but board member Gayla White said Thursday one science class at the high school level was short 267 textbooks.

Nichols said the city school system has not yet received all the extra books it needs and until it does instructors are filling in by supplying students with other materials.