Local News - September 2002

AP class cuts have parents concerned

By JACQUELINE CASEY, LTN Staff Writer

September 2, 2002 - Cuts in the number of advanced placement courses available to high school students have some Lincoln County parents concerned.

Terrie Jones learned of the cuts when her daughter, a junior, readied to take an Advanced Placement (AP) Biology class at East Lincoln High School this semester.

AP classes are taught in the high schools at the college freshman level. Students take a national test at the end of the course, earning college credit, usually for scores of three or higher on a five point scale.

Jones was dismayed to find out the AP Biology course had been canceled due to lack of enrollment. Now, she is concerned about her daughter competing favorably for a slot at a state university.

“It’s kind of ominous,” said Jones, “because the criteria for some of these colleges gets tougher and tougher.”

UNC Chapel Hill advises incoming freshman that most applicants have three AP courses on their transcripts and half have five.

In addition to college admissions offices, the rigor of AP courses is viewed favorably by scholarship committees and by those distributing merit aid, Jones said.

Jones took her concerns — and those of 76 other parents from the county’s three highs schools — to the school board’s curriculum committee Friday in the form of a petition asking that the district adopt a policy to prevent cancellation of AP courses

Nineteen AP courses are being offered in the county this year, according to Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Elaine Jenkins.

Some courses normally offered — AP Biology and AP Chemistry at East Lincoln, AP European History at Lincolnton — were not scheduled, she said.

Four East Lincoln students signed up for AP Biology this semester, said Jenkins. With staffing requirements, it was not feasible to assign a teacher to instruct the class, she said.

“Some years we can tolerate a small class, some years we can’t.”

Students can find it difficult to schedule in a course — some AP courses last both semesters — and some offer only offer 1 credit for two semesters work, Jenkins said.

Jones would like the district to place more emphasis on AP courses, stressing the importance of AP courses to students who are good candidates for enrollment, to eliminate scheduling conflicts, and to develop a back-up plan should employee turn over result in a class being canceled.

The High School Curriculum Committee will study the issue and make a recommendation to the full board at its Wednesday, Oct. 2 meeting.

Meanwhile, Jones plans to continue the petition drive and encourage parents and students to attend the October board meeting.

“I hope between the two the board will see that there is concern in the community about the issue and take action.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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