Jason Jones learns how to be a welding at Texas Junior College during half of his school year. Unless rules are changed, freshman will not have the same opportunities to pursue their interests. Senior Bullard High School student Jason Jones is not going to college after he graduates.

Actually Jones said he already has a job lined up welding for an East Texas company where he will probably make a decent living.

"I'd rather be outside than inside," Jones said. "I don't want a job where I sit in an office."

Jones has been going to Tyler Junior College for half his school day for the last two years. When he graduates high school, Jones will have a certificate in welding, and will be able to read blue prints.

But a new Texas law passed last session that went into effect on incoming freshman this year, could prohibit students like Jones from graduating with such a certificate. The Texas legislature passed new curriculum requiring schools to teach four years of math, science, English and social studies.

"This curriculum puts everyone in a box," Bullard ISD Superintendent Keith Bryant said. "Not everyone is going to college."

The new curriculum leaves less credit hours for electives because students have more core classes to take, Bryant said. If a student has less options for electives, then students will not be able to pursue classes that interest them.

"If we have a student who knows he is going to a trade school, then we need to have the electives available during the school day," Bryant said.

Several plans are in the works to alter the curriculum, one is at the district level and the other is a the state level.

Bryant said Bullard ISD faculty and staff have been discussing the best choice to accomplish four by four requirements while maintaining and expanding electives.

One option is to introduce a modified block schedule with eight periods in the school day. Certain classes would meet every other day, Bryant said.

Another option is to extend the school day to allow more time for classes. Or the school could cut minutes out of the day to allow more time for classes, like shortened lunches.

At the state level, organizations are trying to change the Four by Four requirements, Bryant said. Where a student is required to take a science class, maybe a student could take an agriculture science or health science class instead, depending on the students preference.

But all of this speculation will be determined by the Texas State Board of Education Commission.

SBOE commissioner Barbara Cargill said the commission is looking at ways to offer more types of science and math classes. Their goal is to give students more options, she said.