Arlington board hears broad slate of new-course and textbook recommendations, including AP African American Studies and marine-biology credit pathway

District curriculum staff and coordinators presented a range of proposed course and textbook changes at the Jan. 21 Arlington Central School District Board of Education meeting, including new AP and college-credit options, a course for Spanish heritage speakers, renamed digital-media classes to support a CTE pathway, a full-year marine biology course with optional college credit from Saint Thomas Aquinas, and a proposed AP African American Studies course.

John Orcutt, who led the presentation, said the district had intentionally connected content-team curriculum work with the district equity committee. He described four new texts under consideration: an intermediate Spanish text La Leyenda de Popocatépetl, the novel Fake ID (author Lamar Giles) for 9th-grade English, and updated French and Italian materials with site licenses for contemporary reading. Orcutt said the texts aim to provide contemporary, culturally relevant material and to align with AP language course expectations.

On course proposals, staff described a plan to make marine biology a full-year (factor‑9) course and to offer students an option to earn three college credits through Saint Thomas Aquinas without changing the district curriculum. District staff also proposed a new half‑year hydroponics elective, a Spanish for Native and Heritage Speakers course intended to develop literacy for native/heritage Spanish students, and an AP African American Studies replacement for a half‑year Black History elective. Orcutt said the AP course “starts from early African culture all the way to current African American experiences.” He emphasized there are no prerequisites and that enrollment decisions will be student-driven.

Presenters proposed renaming and reconfiguring technology and media classes to form a digital video media pathway; coordinators said digital media 1 and 2 would be half‑year courses, with levels 3 and 4 full year. Staff said that by aligning courses and adding visual-communication and marketing components they can pursue a formal CTE pathway in digital media.

A large portion of the presentation focused on Winner’s Circle, a multi-course, project-based program that asks students to build and race a kit car and produce marketing and media work around it. Staff described the program as a three-course sequence (build, visual communication, marketing), said it is supported by the Dyson Foundation, and reported a first‑year gross cost to the district of roughly $150,000, with potential BOCES aid (up to 40%) and the possibility of recouping some funds by auctioning the built car later. Staff said the program typically requires an application process and recommended aiming for teams of about 15–18 on the build team and 20–25 in marketing/communication classes.

Board members pressed staff on inclusion of union leadership in curriculum review, enrollment thresholds for factor changes, how DCC (Dutchess Community College) and Saint Thomas Aquinas credit processes affect families (including fee waiver procedures), and how pathways and course factors affect student schedules. Staff said teacher recommendations and a course-selection process (including counselor conversations) will guide right‑sizing enrollment and that outreach (curriculum night in February) will present these options to families. No formal approvals of the courses were recorded at the meeting; the presentation was informational and board members asked staff to return with materials, timelines and course guides.