Glen Rock school leaders unveil expanded AP, dual-enrollment and career-focused courses for 2026–27

Administrators for the Glen Rock Public School District on Monday outlined a sweeping update to the high school program of studies designed to broaden college-credit opportunities and create clearer pathways from college-prep to honors and Advanced Placement courses.

The presentation introduced AP Seminar for 10th and 11th graders in 2026–27, followed by AP Research in 2027–28, as part of the College Board’s AP Capstone sequence. "AP Seminar is a two-year progression that develops research, collaboration and presentation skills," a district presenter said, adding that AP Research requires a 4,000–5,000-word individual project and an oral defense rather than a traditional May exam.

School leaders said they will transition many courses currently labeled "advanced" into a single honors tier to streamline sequencing across subjects and make GPA weighting more consistent; the administration noted honors courses would carry an additional 0.3 weight in GPA calculations. "The goal is to give students a clear path for plotting their four years and to expand access to higher-level coursework," the middle/high school principal said.

The district also plans to expand dual-enrollment partnerships with Fairleigh Dickinson University: in addition to honors US History 2, the administration proposed dual-credit options for US History 1 and three science courses (forensic science, honors chemistry and anatomy & physiology). "By the end of sophomore year students could earn up to six college credits through these offerings," a curriculum leader said.

District staff described two new College Board–backed career-focused offerings under the AP Career Kickstart umbrella: AP business with personal finance and AP cybersecurity. Those courses include industry input and are intended to provide employer-endorsed credentials that help students enter the workforce directly if they choose. "The curricula include project work and end-of-course assessments designed with industry partners," a presenter said, noting IBM participated in scenario development for cybersecurity.

Other additions include AP Art History (full year for juniors and seniors), the first AP Chinese Language and Culture course at the high school, and world-language restructuring that splits Spanish 1 into two semesters (conversational Spanish A and B) to improve speaking proficiency.

Board members asked about the extent to which colleges grant credit for AP Capstone designations and how the AP Research year will be structured. The presenter said credit acceptance varies by institution and that AP Research is delivered as a teacher-led course with scaffolded independent work and regular conferencing.

The administration said it will finalize curriculum revisions over the summer and share the program details with students during February grade-level meetings. The board did not vote on the program package Monday; the plan will return for formal adoption under the district’s regular calendar process.