Students in Georgia hoping to take the College Board’s new Advanced Placement African American Studies course hit a snag after the state superintendent withheld state approval for the course for the 2024-25 school year.
It marks yet another roadblock for the already tumultuous rollout of the new interdisciplinary course. It drew national headlines in 2023 when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis banned the pilot course for allegedly defying state law restricting instruction on topics of race. Since then, Arkansas and South Carolina officials complicated access to the course by withholding state approval for the course, meaning local schools and districts can offer the it, but cannot use state funding to cover its costs.
Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Georgia are all among the 17 states that have imposed bans or restrictions on teaching about race, gender and critical race theory since 2021.
Thirty-three schools in Georgia participated in the pilot program of AP African American Studies last school year, according to the nonprofit College Board. The course, which has undergone various revisions, officially launches nationwide this fall. Hundreds of schools across the country participated in the two-year pilot, including in states such as Kentucky with legislation restricting instruction on race.
To gain state approval in Georgia so schools could use state funding to cover costs for the course, either state school superintendent Richard Woods or the state board of education had to approve the course, said Meghan Frick, spokesperson for the state department of education.
“Superintendent Woods has opted not to recommend this course for state approval at this time,” Frick said. “Districts have multiple options to offer courses on this topic to their students. Local districts may still offer the AP course with local funding. Additionally, Superintendent Woods’ administration added a course code for a state-funded African American Studies course in 2020.”
In an effort to support Georgia districts or schools that choose to still teach the new AP course this fall, the College Board said classes would qualify for AP credit so long as these classes still meet required standards. Students would then still be eligible for college credit based on their year-end exam score.
The nonprofit pledged similar support to schools in South Carolina last month when state officials there rejected the AP African American Studies course along with AP Precalculus.
South Carolina officials referred to a state budget provision that restricts instruction on race and “pending permanent legislation” in a memo announcing the decision. Georgia officials did not provide additional reasoning on their decision.
At least one Georgia district, Gwinnett County public schools, said it will no longer offer the AP African American Studies course due to the state decision. This impacts about 240 students at six schools who had already registered to take the course.
District officials said they received notice from the state on July 10. The district’s school year starts Aug. 5.
“In GCPS, we are committed to offering a comprehensive and inclusive education for each and every student,” said Calvin J. Watts, the district superintendent in a statement. “The 2023-24 AP African American Studies pilot was successful, and we are disappointed that students will neither have the opportunity to take, nor to receive credit for this innovative college-level course.”
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