Enid board approves AP exam fee, tougher honors pathway, free meals and security upgrades

The Enid Public Schools Board of Education on Monday approved a package of academic, operational and safety measures, including a $15 fee for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, a restructuring of its honors pathway into pre‑AP coursework, a four‑year districtwide free‑meal program under the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), expanded staff buyback pay, upgraded door‑entry card readers and wearable panic devices for staff.

The package was presented during the superintendent's report and in follow‑up agenda items and passed on routine voice votes. Superintendent Dr. Darrell framed the handbook changes as an effort to raise academic rigor and increase students' follow‑through with AP testing, and finance and operations staff described the safety and pay changes as budgeted uses of bond and building funds.

Board members said the combined actions are intended to increase academic preparation, reduce stigma in cafeteria lines and improve school safety. “This is a win‑win,” the superintendent said of the CEP decision, adding that the measure will let “every kid get a free breakfast and a free lunch” for the next four years. Mitch Liddell, who outlined the honors and AP changes for Enid High School, said the district is shifting honors courses to a nationally aligned pre‑AP curriculum in eight courses and will add two semesters of accelerated coursework to create a clearer pathway to higher‑level college work.

What the board approved

Handbook and academic pathway changes — The board approved revisions to the district handbooks at the elementary, middle and high school levels. High‑school changes included two principal items highlighted by administration: (1) a $15 charge for students who take AP exams and (2) replacing the district's traditional honors designation with a pre‑AP curriculum in eight courses (biology I, pre‑AP chemistry, Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry and English I and II, plus the eighth course noted by staff) to raise rigor and better align with AP and college expectations. Liddell said AP courses will remain available, but the district will increase out‑of‑class supports (morning/afternoon study groups and weekend…