Piedmont board approves several new AP and honors courses after lengthy public debate

The Piedmont school board voted to approve a package of new high‑school courses — AP Business with Personal Finance, AP Research, 10th‑grade honors English, honors Art 3 and honors Ceramics 3 — following a long discussion and extensive public comment. The motion, made by board member Ruchi Medeker and seconded by Max Roman, carried 5‑0.

District staff stressed that approval places the courses on the catalog but does not guarantee they will be offered; course sections will depend on student enrollment and scheduling. As assistant superintendent Ariel Dolowich told the board, "approval, doesn't mean automatically offering the class," and staff said they will use enrollment thresholds and master‑schedule optimization before final offerings are set.

The vote followed hours of testimony from teachers, students and parents. Teachers urged more collaboration in course development and cautioned that singleton classes and scheduling conflicts can force tradeoffs for students. The board agreed to delay consideration of AP Cybersecurity to align the course with the district's instructional technology plan and to reconvene conversations with staff where needed.

The board also recorded the formal motion and roll call. As board president recorded the result, "Motion carries 5 0."