Georgia’s superintendent of schools seemingly reversed course Wednesday following backlash over the state’s refusal to provide funding for a new Advanced Placement class in African American Studies.
In a statement, Richard Woods said the state will provide funding to districts that use a course code that has been in the catalog of state-funded courses since 2020.
“Districts using this course code will receive state funding,” he said. “Should districts choose to do so, they may teach some or all of the standards in the AP African American Studies course using this code (and students may take the associated AP exam).”
The course previously did not qualify for Advanced Placement credit.
Advocates had complained that the state’s refusal to fund an AP course would suppress teaching about Black history. Florida and Arkansas have adopted similar restrictions on courses in AP African American Studies.
State Rep. Jasmine Clark, a Democrat from Lilburn, who had called out Woods, said Thursday on Facebook that his “reversal, on principle, is great, and honors the fact that this course should have never been on the chopping block in the first place.”
She said allowing districts to use an already-existing course code is a “workaround solution.”
“I am meeting with the [Department of Education] this morning to confirm that with this workaround, students taking this course will receive the same GPA quality points as their peers in other AP courses. Since this course is a college-level course, there must be parity between this course and all other AP offerings,” she said.
The State Board of Education, appointed by the governor, has to approve a class before it can be eligible for state funding, which helps pay for class materials and a teacherâs salary. Woods had decided he wouldnât recommend approval of the class to the board but didnât say why.
In his statement Wednesday, Woods said that when he reviewed the course, he “had concerns about the state endorsing the totality” of it.
“Itâs my position that districts should use the existing course code â which offers them the flexibility to develop their own curriculum based on local priorities, or to use standards from the AP course if they choose and in consultation with their communities,” he said.
This academic year, 33 Georgia schools piloted an African American Studies course, said Sara Sympson, a spokesperson for the College Board, a nonprofit testing entity.
The College Board offers Advanced Placement courses across the academic spectrum, including in math, science, social studies, foreign languages and fine arts. The courses are optional and are taught at a college level, allowing students who score well on final exams to earn college credit while still in high school.