The San Diego Unified School board will decide today whether high school students who take an Advance Placement class should get an automatic boost in their grade.
Before, students had to take the AP course and take the AP exam to get a grade boost. For example, a student who earned a B in an AP Civics course could receive and A if they took the exam. The district offered an additional incentive last year by covering the testing costs of all students.
However, the school board decided earlier this year to no longer subsidize AP test taking for the majority of students due to budget cuts. That sparked debate among critics. They said the only students who could benefit from a grade boost are those that can afford to take the test on their own.
To avoid any educational disparities and legal challenges, the school board is now considering whether to give students who simply take an AP class the academic leg-up.
