Citing a “staggering number” of requests for course changes that threatened the balance of class assignments, the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School Board will discuss whether to change the course selection guide and admission criteria for high school AP and honors classes on Tuesday, November 22.
At the board meeting on November 8, Richard Kaye explained the underlying concerns.
“Over the past few years we’ve studied students’ course placement requests, the number of schedule changes, the number of overrides into honors and AP classes, plus the reasons for overrides and the impact of the overrides on developing the master schedule. After considering all of these factors we had to devise a course selection process. What is being proposed is a process that will help us become more objective and consistent so we can build common assessments. We’ll be able to have a database to show us the rates at which we are helping young people meet their targets that we believe can be reached.”
Kaye said the major factor in this conversation is parental overrides, of which there were 1,840 in honors courses in the two high schools during 2010-’11, “a staggering number that compromised the selection system and criteria.” Kaye said this was to blame for an imbalance in course selection. Data indicated that many of the overrides were unwarranted. While parents may have pushed for students to take advanced courses, when students had trouble with the more rigorous AP classes they would make requests to transfer to the standard class. Once students start an AP or honors course, they may not get out.
“A dilemma is that classes can be filled by just people who requested them. Now we have young people requesting a change and they have no option but to remain in a course that they find inappropriate to them after the fact. They then have trouble trying to meet the requirements — and this occurs both for regular and special education students — and even if we give them every kind of support possible, the level of intensity and speed of learning puts those young people at a great disadvantage when they’re not on track,” Kaye said.
Kaye added that for special education students the overrides “undermine the collaborative individualized education program process” since parents can unilaterally override the decision of the IEPT, or individualized educational planning team.
The board is set to review the parental override process, and Kaye said with the recommended changes the final decision for eligibility for AP and honors would be left to administrative and professional staff with student and parental input.
As part of the district’s overall plans it is moving towards common assessments in every possible area. Assessment happens to be the forte of the incoming assistant superintendent, Martin Smith, who is scheduled to begin at WW-P on November 28.
