North Gwinnett News

Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) has announced that the Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course will be available to students in the 2024-25 school year. This decision follows an announcement by State Superintendent Richard Woods, who confirmed that the course would be added to the state-funded course catalog effective immediately.

With classes already underway, GCPS is coordinating with schools to make necessary schedule adjustments. Students who registered for the course last spring will have the opportunity to adjust their schedules accordingly. These changes will be managed at each school in collaboration with affected students over the coming days.

"While this is a victory in many ways, the State Superintendent’s actions caused undue burden on our schools and pain to many in our community, including our students," stated GCPS Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts. "However, I am grateful for the collective advocacy of our students, families, staff, and community to do what is right for our students. I am sorry that we went through this, but I am happy that in the end, our students can take this course and receive the full AP experience and rewards of completing the course successfully."

The AP African American Studies course was piloted successfully in GCPS last year, with 98 out of 99 participating students earning college credit after performing well on their AP exams. The district emphasizes its commitment to educational excellence and equity by offering this advanced placement option.

GCPS remains dedicated to promoting understanding across diverse student populations and is proud to provide this opportunity as part of its curriculum.