What Is Your Troop Doing To Prepare For The 2016 Requirements?

[Gone]

Nothing.  New requirements only kick in AFTER 2016 and after they complete their current rank.  At that time, we'd let them know about the new requirements.

I thought this too. Yesterday I was doing my 5k through the woods and listening to the BSA August podcast. The lady on the podcast said this:

 

- the requirements kick in January 1, 2016.

- New requirements take effect for webelos crossing over in 2016 immediately.

- Any scout not yet Fisrt Class can continue to work on First Class (and all lower ranks) using the old requirements. As soon as they make First Class they MUST use the new requirements for Star and beyond. So if you complete First Class in May 2016 you have to use the new requirements for Star.

- Any scout ABOVE First Class on January 1, 2016 can continue to use the old requirements to complete their current rank. After they earn that rank they MUST use the new requirements for the next rank. So if a scout earns Life in April 2016 he MUST use the new requirements for Eagle.

 

I was under the impression 2016 was a "transition year" and we had to use the requirements for everyone starting December 31, 2016. That does not appear to be the case. We need to start using them NEXT year, and at different times depending on the scout's rank. That will make the admin burden FAR GREATER than expected.

[blw2]

So my son and his den, who will be crossing in January, will be under the new book and the new program then..... right?

[NJCubScouter]

So my son and his den, who will be crossing in January, will be under the new book and the new program then..... right?

Yes. Although the word on this forum has been that the new handbook will come out IN January, so it is possible that there may be some days between your son joining the troop and the appearance of the new handbook. But he will be subject to the requirements in the new book. What a system.

[Gone]

So my son and his den, who will be crossing in January, will be under the new book and the new program then..... right?

 

 

Yes. Although the word on this forum has been that the new handbook will come out IN January, so it is possible that there may be some days between your son joining the troop and the appearance of the new handbook. 

 

The BSA rep on that podcast said January 16th which is a Saturday.

[NJCubScouter]

The BSA rep on that podcast said January 16th which is a Saturday.

Well, I guess for those (up to) 16 days the new Scouts (which is confusing since they won't have the Scout badge yet, but they are still Scouts) will have to look on the Internet for the new requirements for Scout. Or will the requirements on the Internet still be in draft form by then?

[NJCubScouter]

We need to start using them NEXT year, and at different times depending on the scout's rank. That will make the admin burden FAR GREATER than expected.

Yes, it is going to be a different time for every Scout, and it is going to be a burden, so we have to help the kids through it. The BSA has survived things like this before. I remember that at the time the requirements were changed in 1972, I was a Second Class Scout with a few requirements remaining for First Class and I was working against a deadline to finish First Class before the new requirements became mandatory for everybody. And those changes were MUCH more significant than these. They basically threw out the entire structure of different specific requirements for each of the "lower" ranks (much like we have now, again) and replaced it with skill awards (and a few merit badges.) The requirements for Star, Life and Eagle were also changed, but mainly in the number of merit badges and in the list of Eagle-required MB's.

[Stosh]

As a troop we are doing nothing.  Instead all the boys needing advancement are old what the situation is and they can decide what they want to do about their advancement..... I'll support their decisions as they come on-line.

[Gone]

Well, I guess for those (up to) 16 days the new Scouts (which is confusing since they won't have the Scout badge yet, but they are still Scouts) will have to look on the Internet for the new requirements for Scout. Or will the requirements on the Internet still be in draft form by then?

 

Don't know. From the podcast the person speaking for BSA seemed to toss the two dates out not realizing this would be an issue (or not caring it was an issue). Kind of hard to miss. We are encouraging Webelos to cross over in December this year so we can get them in under the wire BUT we will not advise them to get handbooks until the new ones are printed. It will eliminate any problems due to the BSA's lack of timing.

 

Yes, it is going to be a different time for every Scout, and it is going to be a burden, so we have to help the kids through it. 

 

Agreed. My concern is the lack of uniform understanding around the timeline. Many units I speak to erroneously think they have a year to work in the new requirements. Despite the FAQ and podcast being out there, many still have the wrong idea.

[NJCubScouter]

We are encouraging Webelos to cross over in December this year so we can get them in under the wire BUT we will not advise them to get handbooks until the new ones are printed. It will eliminate any problems due to the BSA's lack of timing.

So in other words, the new Scouts will do the requirements for Scout through First Class that are in the current handbook, but the handbook they will have is the new handbook, that doesn't have those requirements? Or to put it another way, they will be working out of a handbook that will not have the correct requirements (for them) until they are working on Star? That seems very cumbersome and error-prone, especially for a 10-and-a-half year old just joining the troop. But I understand the problem, you don't want them having to buy a book and then have to buy another book about a year later. I guess the best answer is photocopying pages from the old book to put in the new book, which is also cumbersome (and of questionable legality I suppose.)

 

Maybe what the BSA should do is publish the new handbook (at least the first printing, to be sold through the end of 2016) with an attached pamphlet in the back with the old requirements and places to sign them off. (And not charge any more for the pamphlet.) But past experience suggests there will be no pamphlet, and certainly not for free.

[5yearscouter]

My troop and SM seem to have their head in the sand hoping it all goes away. lol Or they don't know even though I've mentioned it a couple times.  I think one committee person actually perked up and paid attention when I said all the rank requirements are changing come 2016.

 

The Scouts just made their calendar for next year+ and scoutmaster made no mention of any additional requirements, so they'll have to review to add in some of the service more into campouts and events.

 

I'm going to suggest that as part of the boards of review for all scouts in 2016 that when they are done with the rank they are working on - the board of review including advancement chair review the rules with the scout for what requirements the scout needs to use for their next rank (so if still working on 1st class they are fine til Dec 2016 I believe, but if they finish 1st class in 2016 they start the new requirements) and provide the scout a hand out to attach into existing book with the new requirements for their next rank(s).

 

And then in Dec 2016 we have to meet with any scout who hasn't transitioned already to the new requirements for their next rank. So they understand.

 

Probably give some kind of written hand out and have the downloadable pdf of the rules and changed ranks put on the troop website so all the parents can read it for themselves and be forewarned.

 

And a bit of reminder to the scouts before the end of this year that things are changing.  For some of them it may push them to finish their 1st class a teeny bit faster.  We tend to have two sets of new scouts working on 1st class, those going at breakneck speed, and those who haven't bothered much and have been stuck in the rank of scout or tenderfoot for a year+. So we shall see.

[5yearscouter]

BSA needs to make a pamphlet like this sort of

http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/literature-media/handbooks/handbook-bs-mini.html#.Vd9DD1hRE5s

but with a place for the requirements to be signed off.

and make them in old requirements to go in the new books,

and in new requirements to go in the old books.

 

Hopefully for a bit less $.

 

Be great if it were the same size as existing book and would slide into place within the back of the book somehow with a clip or something

 

Oh I know,

giant sticky notes with two bars of sticky stuff at the top and the bottom, with the requirements printed on them

so it looks like the page in the book with place for signatures.

 

So you peel off the sticky note you need for the new rank req, stick it in the old book on top of the old rank requirements.

or you go to the new book and peel off the one your need for the old requirements that you are still finishing up in 2016 and put it on top of the page.

 

hmmm.... now I'm thinking of finding sticky notes to print my own.

[Gone]

So in other words, the new Scouts will do the requirements for Scout through First Class that are in the current handbook, but the handbook they will have is the new handbook, that doesn't have those requirements?

No. The new scouts (Class of 2016) will do Scout only during December using the old requirements. They will do TF-FC with the new requirements once the book is out in January. We will tell them not to get a book until January after the new books are out. For Scout we will just give them a duplicated page 17 which has the Scout requirements on it. Since they are Webelos and mostly AOL awardees, this information will be the same as in their CS Handbook.

 

Maybe what the BSA should do is publish the new handbook (at least the first printing, to be sold through the end of 2016) with an attached pamphlet in the back with the old requirements and places to sign them off. (And not charge any more for the pamphlet.) But past experience suggests there will be no pamphlet, and certainly not for free.

Or better yet, maybe BSA should only make changes to substantial things like requirements when they can delivery the updated book PRIOR to the implementation of the new requirements. It is like Microsoft announcing Windows 10 and selling it, but it not being activated until a month or so after you buy it. Poor timing on BSA's part.

 

I'm going to suggest that as part of the boards of review for all scouts in 2016 that when they are done with the rank they are working on - the board of review including advancement chair review the rules with the scout for what requirements the scout needs to use for their next rank (so if still working on 1st class they are fine til Dec 2016 I believe, but if they finish 1st class in 2016 they start the new requirements) and provide the scout a hand out to attach into existing book with the new requirements for their next rank(s).

That is what our BORs are doing too. As soon as you finish FC you move to the new requirements. Our PLC even built in a few "workshops" for the boys to understand the new requirements changes. I smiled when that was proposed by one of our first year scouts. He got the idea and now it is part of the plan. All I had to do was sit there (a la @@Stosh ).

Edited August 27, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[koolaidman]

No. The new scouts (Class of 2016) will do Scout only during December using the old requirements. They will do TF-FC with the new requirements once the book is out in January. We will tell them not to get a book until January after the new books are out. For Scout we will just give them a duplicated page 17 which has the Scout requirements on it. Since they are Webelos and mostly AOL awardees, this information will be the same as in their CS Handbook.

 

The way I read the transition document, if they boys pass the 2015 joining requirements and get one sign off on TF, then they are working on TF-FC and can continue with the old reqs through 2016.

I kinda feel like that is gaming the system and only kicking the can further down the road, but it is an option to consider.

 

(of course this thread blows up while I have my head buried in work this week!)

[Gone]

The way I read the transition document, if they boys pass the 2015 joining requirements and get one sign off on TF, then they are working on TF-FC and can continue with the old reqs through 2016.

I kinda feel like that is gaming the system and only kicking the can further down the road, but it is an option to consider.

 

(of course this thread blows up while I have my head buried in work this week!)

 

We thought about that approach but the PLC voted against it. They *did* want to get Scout out of the way under the 2015 requirements.

 

We will get a clean start on 2016 after the book is released....assuming it is released on time.

[JoeBob]

We're going to ignore the new requirements, at least for the first year.

 

In future years, we'll use whatever is in the version of the scout handbook that each boy happens to have.  If someone wants to use the new requirements, they can buy a new handbook. 

 

Whatever happened to 'No adding to or changing the requirements.'?  I see the needs for the changes, and like most of them; but could Irving have made the transition any more poorly?

 

Where's @@fred johnson when we need him?