With this week’s announcement that state School Superintendent Richard Woods would not recommend the AP African American Studies course for approval, districts, educators, students and parents are trying to figure out what that means. Meanwhile, activists and some elected officials are fighting to get the course into schools.
Woods’ decision means that the AP course will not receive state funding. He has pushed back on the notion that students do not have access to African American studies, saying the state has a course and that students can take the exam for college credit. Opponents question why this course is being singled out, and some have called the move anti-Black.
In metro Atlanta, Gwinnett County Public Schools has said it will not have the class due to Woods’ decision. The move affects 240 students at six schools. The Atlanta, Cobb and DeKalb school districts, on the other hand, are not changing their plans related to AP African American Studies.
The course is new, so not every school or every district is even offering it and the scope of the issue is not clear.
Here are some basics on this evolving situation:
Q: My child was enrolled. What do we do now?
A: Students select the classes they want to take, but they don’t make their schedules. In schools affected by this decision, the hard work of placing students in new classes likely falls to counselors and other school staff, who have to consider keeping students in an AP class or one still in the realm of social studies.
Gwinnett is the only district that’s said it changed plans as a result of Woods’ decision. The district, the largest in Georgia, hasn’t yet offered insight into the logistical challenges of redoing schedules just days before classes start, but in some cases, they have started informing parents that the change is affecting their child. Gwinnett County’s letter to parents states the local school will keep them informed and that parents should direct questions to their school. A Gwinnett student who expected to take the class told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Tuesday he wasn’t aware the district was dropping AP African American Studies until a reporter asked him about it.
Q: Are there other opportunities for my child to learn this material?
A: Woods noted that districts can offer African American studies, a course approved by the state, and tailor it as desired. However, the state’s course is described as introductory whereas the AP course is college-level and designed by more than 300 scholars and teachers over several years. The state course also does not cater to the AP exam.
Additionally, one of the boons to taking an AP class is the rigor-based GPA boost that comes with it. The state course does not inherently have that benefit, so a district would have to add it.
Q: Can they still get college credit?
A: The College Board allows any student to sign up for an AP exam, which typically costs $98. Enterprising students can prepare on their own, utilizing study guides, practice tests and the curriculum overview on the College Board website.
The organization recommends that students take the course prior to the test. Not only is the material meant to be challenging, but AP exams involve essays and written components that sometimes require a specific approach. Practicing essays and getting feedback from a teacher are instrumental elements of preparing for AP exams.
A score of 3 out of 5 on the exam is considered passing, although colleges vary on what scores they accept and how many credits a student can receive. About 73% of students passed the AP African American Studies exam in the spring, according to the College Board.
Q: Has this happened elsewhere?
A: Several states last year said they would review the AP African American Studies curriculum to see if it conflicted with laws passed that limited lessons on race and racism, according to EdWeek. Woods’ decision not to approve the course makes Georgia among the first states to take any stance about it. Florida outright banned it after a prolonged fight between Gov. Ron DeSantis and the College Board. Arkansas and South Carolina withheld state funding.
Q: What’s next?
A: Activists, lawmakers and school board members — mainly Democrats and progressives — have spoken out swiftly in support of offering the course. They have appealed to Woods to change his mind, asked the state Board of Education to approve it and pushed for districts to offer it on their own.
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