By Joani Gillam
Executive News Editor
Costa Principal Dr. Ben Dale proposed a revised policy regarding access to Advanced Placement and Honors classes on Dec. 4 that proposes to change the pre-requisite and waiver policies and eliminate waiver forms.
No final proposals have been submitted to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees yet, as Dale is revising his original AP policies after receiving general teacher disapproval at the Dec. 12 department meeting.
“I considered all the conversations I’ve had with guidance counselors, AP teachers and the Board in order to get input,” Dale said. “I want to revise the entire [AP] system at Mira Costa: access, the right kids in the class and the appeals process in order to get the right approach for students.”
Among Dale’s eight bullet-pointed proposals is a six-week add/drop period, where students would be able to decide whether a class is too difficult and opt to drop out. Students can also add advanced classes to their schedule after the school year begins.
Another component of the new policy is the implementation of uniform assessment tests, which would be developed by each department and taken by students who wish to waiver into an advanced class.
“The proposals are pandering to a misplaced priority,” AP Government teacher Glenn Marx said. “The proposals advocate a feeling of open access which doesn’t exist right now.”
Dale is unable to release a date for the final proposed AP and Honor changes at this time.
“The past policies for AP classes just weren’t working,” Dale said. “As of now, our goal is to make policy changes before the publication of the course handbook next year.”
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