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Resident urges district to replace AP classes with local curriculum and SUNY Albany dual‑enrollment options
Summary
A member of the public urged the Guilderland board to phase out Advanced Placement courses in favor of locally developed rigorous courses and greater use of SUNY Albany dual‑enrollment and regional college classes as cost‑saving and instructional alternatives.
During the public‑comment period of the July 10 meeting, resident Robert (Bob) Dwyer argued the district should phase out Advanced Placement classes, saying colleges focus on the rigor of courses rather than the AP label and that the district could save money by developing in‑house courses and expanding dual‑enrollment with SUNY Albany.
"AP classes. We don't need AP classes," Dwyer said. He suggested teachers could design equivalent rigorous curricula and that the district could bus students to SUNY Albany or neighboring districts for college‑level courses, allowing students to earn college credit without the expense of AP exams.
Dwyer said the changes could save money at a time when the district is losing enrollment and state revenue tied to student counts. He described past district partnerships with Tech Valley and suggested expanding collaboration with nearby districts and SUNY Albany as a practical option.
Why it matters: public comment covered curriculum strategy, district costs and possible partnerships; such comments can inform future agenda items but do not require board action unless the board chooses to place them on a future agenda.
Ending: The board acknowledged Dwyer’s remarks during public comment; no formal action followed.
