Rigby High students stage walkout as district cuts AP classes
RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) - Students at Rigby High School staged a walkout today to protest Jefferson Joint School District 251's decision to eliminate advanced and advanced placement (AP) classes.
"Everyone should have a chance to get the right education that they want," Freshman Lillilynn Killian told Local News 8. "I love my advanced classes, and I learn at a faster pace... It's good for all of us to have the opportunity to learn at the pace that we can."
Over 70 students left their classes Wednesday in protest. Students chanted for Superintendent Chad Martin to come out of his office and bring back the advanced classes.
In an email, the school's principal, Bryan Lords, cited the change was the result of students tending to prefer dual enrollment classes, or college credit classes, over AP courses.
"This shift will provide a smoother pathway for students who wish to pursue an associate's degree or who simply want to earn more college credits while in high school," writes Lords.
He says that Students who wish can still take the AP exam, but instead of taking a designated AP class, 11th graders will now have the opportunity to enroll in a college-level class that offers college credit.
Students tell Local News 8 they're upset they didn't have a say in the matter.
"I want support from our community to open this back up so that we can have input when the district makes decisions like these and so that we can be communicated with and have a say in our education," High School Junior Sky Wescott told Local News 8.
The principal's full email has been included below -
Parents,
We understand that there have been many questions, rumors, and misunderstandings regarding Advanced Placement (AP) and advanced English classes at Rigby High School. We would like to provide some background information and clarify the changes that have taken place.
AP (Advanced Placement) Classes:
Traditionally, AP English has been offered at the 11th grade level. Over time, we have observed that students tend to prefer dual enrollment classes over AP classes, so moving forward students who wish to do so can still take the AP exam, but instead of taking a designated AP class, 11th graders will now have the opportunity to enroll in a college-level class that offers college credit. This is a change from past practices, where English college-level classes were only available during the senior year. This shift will provide a smoother pathway for students who wish to pursue an associate's degree or who simply want to earn more college credits while in high school.
Changes to Advanced English Classes for 9th and 10th Grade:
The other change involves how we deliver the curriculum for advanced English students at 9th and 10th grades. Instead of offering stand-alone "Advanced English" classes, we will now integrate advanced curriculum within the regular English classes. It is important to note that there are no separate standards for advanced English; there are only the standards for 9th and 10th grade English. The advanced curriculum will cover the same standards but will delve deeper into them.
We are continually working to ensure we meet the needs of our students, providing them with the necessary instruction and helping them demonstrate proficiency in the standards required for credit and graduation. Recently, we discovered that, in many cases, the advanced English class curriculum was not fully addressing the standards students are expected to master. In discussions with students, we found that some advanced students struggled to pass the same test given to students in regular English classes. This does not reflect the students' capabilities but rather points to a gap in the way the advanced curriculum addresses the essential standards for English 9 and 10. This test is designed to assess mastery of these core skills, which raised concerns.
Throughout the year, we have explored other ways to address this issue but encountered several roadblocks. We have now determined that the best way to ensure all students receive a consistent and comprehensive curriculum is to guarantee that every student first receives core instruction. For those students who seek advanced material, we will provide additional opportunities to explore the standards more deeply.
As an administration, we have a responsibility to our students, parents, and community, as well as to state laws, to ensure that all students meet the essential standards. This adjustment is part of our commitment to that goal. We recognize that change is challenging, and we understand that some may disagree with this decision. That is their right. However, our primary obligation is to do what we believe is best for our students, and this is the plan moving forward. We will continue working closely with the English department to ensure that all students receive a guaranteed and effective curriculum that meets the essential standards, while also providing those who wish to pursue advanced instruction with additional opportunities.
Sincerely,
Bryan Lords, Principal
