Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fulton high school moves AP social-studies courses toward SUNY dual-enrollment model
Summary
Fulton’s social-studies department told the board it plans to replace AP World and AP U.S. courses with college dual-enrollment sequences in partnership with local SUNY providers to increase credit transfer rates and student success.
The Fulton City School District social-studies department proposed replacing several Advanced Placement (AP) social-studies courses with college dual-enrollment sequences that a student can take for SUNY credit.
Nate Pacillo, social studies department chair at the high school, presented the proposal to the board and said the change aims to increase students’ guaranteed college credits and reduce the barrier of a single exit exam. “Dual Enrollment is much more in the hands of the teacher,” Pacillo said, arguing that students’ year-long course grades better reflect mastery than a one-off AP exam.
Under the plan, the district would partner with community colleges (referred to in the presentation as CCC and OCC) to offer courses equivalent to college-level Western Civilization and World Civilization in a fall/spring sequence. Pacillo said Western Civilization and World Civilization courses would replace AP World for sophomores, producing six college credits across the year. A similar two-course sequence would be offered for U.S. history for juniors, providing additional college credit. The district already runs college-credit agreements for some AP STEM courses, Pacillo said.
The athletics and instructional staff raised practical points during the discussion: CCC requires teachers to be approved to deliver college credit, and its standards can include a master’s degree or equivalent college credits in the subject-area. Pacillo said CCC had already approved two high-school teachers for the initiative; economics is more complicated because some staff members do not meet CCC’s credit requirement, and the district is also exploring alternatives through OCC.
Pacillo and board members cited student outcomes and cost savings as drivers. Pacillo said AP exam pass rates have declined from pre-COVID levels — “we're going back pre-COVID, probably 2018, '19,” he said — and that while roughly 25–30 students each year take AP World, only around 10–15 students passed the AP exam in recent years. He added that AP exams cost students roughly $91 each, while community college sections tied to dual enrollment had lower or no direct student costs.
Board members and staff said the plan would expand college-credit opportunities for students and reduce obstacles for students who perform well in class but do not succeed on a single high-stakes test. The district said it will submit syllabi to partner colleges, maintain shared grading standards, and keep local counselors involved in advising.
Ending: The board heard the full presentation and indicated support for piloting the dual-enrollment sequences next year, subject to formal approvals by the partner colleges and final staffing and scheduling decisions.
