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Committee approves FY27 Program of Studies with CTE pathway expansions and new course offerings
Summary
The committee approved updates to the high school Program of Studies for FY27, authorizing new pathways (media communications, culinary, criminal justice), new courses and revised AP/advanced-course language to increase access; senior project rollout timeline was extended and work-based learning pathways expanded.
The School Committee approved the North Kingstown High School's FY27 Program of Studies after a presentation by Jacqueline Trope, assistant principal for teaching and learning.
Trope outlined administrative updates, a phased rollout of the senior project (now projected over five years rather than three), and changes to AP/advanced-course wording intended to reduce access barriers while preserving academic expectations. The committee approved language clarifying GPA truncation to two decimals and an updated add/drop period for year-long and semester electives.
The committee also approved expansions to career and technical education pathways. Two pathways now in formal review by the Rhode Island Department of Education are the media communications pathway (digital media, broadcasting, journalism, graphic design with Adobe Premiere certification and postsecondary credits) and the culinary pathway (ProStart-aligned curriculum and food-service certifications). The criminal justice pathway was recently added internally after strong student interest and now includes law, forensics and potential certifications (OSHA-10, NOCTI criminal-justice exam) and coordination with NKPD.
Trope described new course proposals approved by the committee: business applications (Microsoft Office/Excel/PowerPoint certification), solid-modeling certification, aerospace engineering (engineering & robotics academy specialty), AP Seminar (pilot and potential pathway to AP Research), Forensic Science II, and a pilot AP African American Studies course.
Members asked detailed questions about student supports, program capacity (particularly for CTE pathways that may draw external interest), and metrics used to evaluate whether new courses will run. Trope said decisions to run courses will follow an enrollment-review process tied to master-scheduling in the spring. The committee approved the Program of Studies with the small grammatical and statutory reference edits noted during the meeting.
