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Students, parents and teachers urge Katy ISD to add AP Physics C at 7 Lakes High School
Summary
Multiple students, parents and a teacher asked the Katy ISD Board of Trustees to approve AP Physics C at 7 Lakes High School, saying the course is necessary for STEM readiness, accepted by Texas flagship universities and already has teacher and lab capacity; district staff previously denied a proposal citing cost and pathway priorities.
Dozens of students, parents and a teacher asked the Katy Independent School District Board of Trustees on Jan. 27 to add AP Physics C at 7 Lakes High School, saying the calculus‑based course is critical for students seeking engineering and other STEM majors and that the school already has teachers and lab resources to run it.
Speakers at the meeting said district staff denied a previous proposal for AP Physics C because of cost and pathway prioritization but argued those reasons do not apply. "The cost is gonna be so minimal," parent Donna Pipe said, adding that the class requires only materials and books and that qualified teachers are available.
Supporters said the course matters for college admissions and credit. "Having Physics C as a course would increase students' readiness for STEM majors and make them more appealing to acceptance offers," said Sarah Pype, a junior at 7 Lakes High School. Ben Quinn, a 7 Lakes junior taking AP Physics 1, told trustees that AP Physics C is accepted by many colleges as the equivalent of a first‑year college physics course, while AP Physics 1 often is not.
Students and parents provided several points in support: Miss Taylor and Mr. Andrews were identified as qualified teachers who would teach the class; the 7 Lakes labs and many Physics 1 materials already exist; and, according to a student speaker, "me and over 500 other students have expressed interest in taking Physics C." Speakers also compared Katy ISD unfavorably to neighboring districts that offer the course.
Board materials and staff reasons were not presented during the public comments; the meeting record shows the proposal had been denied previously for cost and pathway reasons but contains no further staff explanation in the transcript. No formal board vote or staff directive on the AP Physics C request was recorded in the meeting minutes of Jan. 27.
Speakers asked the board to reconsider and to allow the course next school year so students can earn college‑level credit and better prepare for calculus‑based college physics. Trustees did not announce a decision during the open meeting.
The request came during the public comment portion of the meeting; proponents said they would follow district procedures for curriculum proposals going forward.
