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Parents press Locust Valley board to restore AP U.S. History options and provide IB cost analysis
Summary
During public comment Lisa McLaughlin and others urged the board to ensure juniors have a genuine AP-or-IB choice, requested a cost-value analysis of the IB program, and cited declining Regents proficiency figures as a reason to review course offerings.
Several parents used public comment to press the district on curriculum choices and transparency around advanced-program costs.
Lisa McLaughlin congratulated students on recent performances and then raised concerns about remote meeting transparency and the district's advanced-studies pathways. She said that after the district adopted IB, AP U.S. History appears to be unavailable to juniors and asked the district to "pull the 2026-27 course guide and give this year's juniors a true choice, AP or IB." She also asked for a cost-value analysis of the IB program, noting that AP exams cost about $99 while IB assessment and diploma requirements can add substantial fees.
McLaughlin cited historical Regents proficiency figures to illustrate her point: she said Locust Valley High School had a 99% proficiency rate in U.S. History in 2003 versus 84% in 2025, and argued that course offerings and instruction levels should be reviewed. Board and administration representatives said the curriculum committee is exploring additional AP offerings (including AP U.S. History and AP Personal Finance) and that the curriculum guide is a living document; they also said feasibility is under review and encouraged families to consult the guide when updated.
Other public commenters, including Carrie Lamb, urged the board to stay focused on students and raised concerns about a federal lawsuit referenced in public comment. Trustees acknowledged the public feedback and said administrators would follow up where appropriate.
