Albany schools propose six new courses tied to career pathways and AI planning
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Summary
District presenters outlined six proposed 2026–27 courses — including Animation 2, Content Creation, Foundations of Education, Game Design, Microbiology and Zoology — framed as career-pathway growth and aligned to labor-market data; board members raised scheduling, staffing, and UHS/CHS credit questions and urged student voice in future course development.
District curriculum staff presented six proposed courses for the 2026–27 school year intended to strengthen college and career pathways at Albany High School.
The slate includes Animation 2 and Content Creation to expand the media-arts pathway; Foundations of Education in America to support future educators (with potential Hudson Valley UHS/CHS credit pending approval); Introduction to Game Design and Development to augment computer science pathways; and new science electives in Microbiology and Zoology. "This year, we are pleased to share the 6 new course courses across 3 departments that we are planning to offer in 2627," a presenter said during the board meeting.
Presenters tied the proposals to labor-market data and regional employer engagement. They said the Department of Labor participated in leadership week and family conference events and supplied data the district used to align course offerings to in-demand fields in the Capital Region. The district also plans to pursue dual-credit opportunities where feasible.
Board members asked why some performing-arts courses were not approved this year, citing staffing and master-schedule constraints. Curriculum staff said a stakeholder committee considers master-schedule viability, the number of singleton sections and available FTE; one theater teacher and a constrained schedule meant some performing-arts proposals could not be accommodated without cutting other courses.
Members urged fuller student voice in course development; presenters said teacher proposals typically trigger the process and said they plan student surveys and focus groups next year. District staff also noted ongoing work on AI curriculum planning: "We are going on Monday to a regional AI summit," a district leader said, noting the district is developing an AI guidebook for staff.
Next steps: the board will consider formal approval timelines, pursue any required external approvals for college credit, and continue to weigh staffing and scheduling constraints when finalizing the 2026–27 master schedule.