Georgia won’t adopt AP African American Studies course statewide, but districts can individually

ATLANTA — An African American Studies course for Advanced Placement credit designed by the College Board was rejected for statewide use by Dr. Richard Woods, Georgia’s State School Superintendent on Tuesday.

State Sen. Nikki Merritt, who represents parts of Gwinnett County in the Georgia General Assembly, announced plans to discuss the end of the AP AA Studies program at the steps of the Georgia Capitol Wednesday at noon, alongside other state lawmakers.

According to Georgia DOE, the superintendent chose not to recommend the course for approval at this time, following the conclusion of a College Board pilot program.

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Georgia DOE officials said the course had been offered in some state schools through the pilot program, but said the pilot program does not require an approval process at the state level.

“With the pilot concluded, there are two ways for a course to be formally approved to receive state funding in Georgia: the State School Superintendent can make a recommendation for approval, or the State Board of Education can initiate an approval directly.”

Still, while the state did not adopt the course for all schools, districts have multiple options to offer courses on African American Studies as a topic, including the option to use the AP course with local funding, rather than state funding.

“Superintendent Woods’ administration added a course code for a state-funded African American Studies course in 2020,” Georgia DOE said in a statement.

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Atlanta Public Schools tested the program during the pilot. The district plans to still provide the course, using its own funds rather than state funding.

“Atlanta Public Schools’ charter system status gives us the flexibility to continue offering Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies, even though it will not be supported with state funding. APS will provide the course to students with local funds. AP African-American Studies will continue to count for credit toward graduation. This district is committed to providing rigorous instruction that helps our students become globally-minded citizens,” according to a district spokesman.

The Gwinnett County School District said they had test-piloted the program too, and with the state rejecting it, they were meeting with stakeholders to determine next steps.

“In GCPS, we are committed to offering a comprehensive and inclusive education for each and every student,” Dr. Calvin J. Watts, GCPS Superintendent said in a statement. “The 2023-24 AP African American Studies pilot was successful, and we are disappointed that students will neither have the opportunity to take, nor to receive credit for this innovative college-level course.”

The Georgia Association of Educators said the choice not to adopt the course for Georgia’s students was disappointing, especially when measured “against the backdrop of the approval of the AP European History class.”

The GAE said their organization was “utterly dismayed at the decision by Superintendent Richard Woods to eliminate funding and course credit for AP African American studies” and called it an “ill-considered decision” directly opposing the “integrity and professional duties as educators,” the teacher’s union’s members hold.

On July 29, the Georgia Federation of Teachers sent the following letter to State School Superintendent Richard Woods:

“Dear Superintendent Woods:

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to express our concerns regarding the recent decision to deny funding for the AP African American Studies course in Georgia. This decision raises several questions that we believe need to be addressed for the benefit of our students and the integrity of our educational system.

Firstly, we would like to understand the rationale behind the decision to deny funding for AP African American Studies. As an important course that explores the rich history and contributions of African Americans, it plays a crucial role in providing a comprehensive and inclusive education.

Secondly, we are interested to know if there were other AP courses for which funding was denied. If so, could you please provide the reasons for the denial of funding for those courses? Specifically, we are keen to learn if any other AP courses designed to teach about the heritage or history of any other groups of people in the United States were also denied funding.

Furthermore, it is essential to consider whether the current curriculum adequately reflects the historical contributions of all people in the United States. In light of this, we would like to know if you would support efforts to revamp the Georgia curriculum to ensure it is more inclusive and representative of the diverse histories and contributions that have shaped our nation.

Lastly, we would like to inform you that we will be introducing a proposed bill aimed at addressing and correcting the inequities that currently exist regarding the representation of various cultures and histories in our educational system. This bill is intended to ensure that all students have access to a well-rounded and inclusive education that honors the contributions of all communities.

We look forward to your response and hope that we can work together to promote an educational environment that is equitable and inclusive for all students.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Helen Butler, Director, Peoples Agenda

Jo Handy Sewell, Director-Social Justice Ministry, Beulah Missionary Baptist Church & DeKalb Democratic Women Chair

Reverend Anthony Motley Pastor, Lindsey Street Baptist Church Atlanta

Karen Mulzac Watkins, Board Member of Gwinnett County Public Schools

Verdaillia Turner, President of Georgia Federation of Teachers”

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