When a student complains about English class, it is most often because they don’t like the book the class is currently reading. To remedy this, the English department has begun exploring whether to replace the year-long junior and senior CP classes with semester-long electives.
This is an excellent idea, and the department and administration should work toward implementing it as soon as possible.
If students are reading works that they are more passionate about, they will be more interested in class. Also, if students are reading and discussing works that interest them, their overall grades and quality of learning will improve. This would lead to a higher level of literacy among students who otherwise might not be reading.
Because the electives would replace the CP-level classes, though, Advanced Placement students only could take the new classes as electives. That could possibly lead to some students dropping down from the AP classes to take the electives as their regular English class, so teachers and counselors would have to encourage them to stay with the more rigorous AP class.
Also, each of the electives should retain a few crucial classic pieces of literature. Students might not think they want to read the classics, but doing so enriches their cultural development, and some students may find that they actually like these works.
The idea of giving students a choice in their English classes, though, is an outstanding one.