AVUHSD gets grant to aid A-G students
LANCASTER — The Antelope Valley Union High School District received a $5.8 million grant from the state’s A-G Improvement Grant program to help increase the number of students who graduate with the eligibility to enroll at the University of California and California State University campuses.
A-G refers to the uniform minimum set of 15 yearlong high school courses required for admission as a freshman to the UC and CSU campuses, above the state mandated requirements for high school graduation.
Those include four years of approved English courses and three years of mathematics including algebra, geometry and intermediate algebra. The University of California recommends four
years of mathematics.
Other A-G requirements include two years of history/ social sciences and two years of science with a lab. The University of California requires two years, though it recommends three years, with science chosen from biology, chemistry and physics. There are also two years of foreign language in the same language. The University of California recommends three years. The last requirement is one year of visual and performing arts.
The District will spend $1.8 million on marketing campaign/communications for outreach to students and families, including eighth graders in feeder districts and freshmen orientation.
Another $2 million will be allocated for professional development for teachers, including grade calibration by content area, Advanced Placement strategies and readiness and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) training, according to the plan.
The District will look at scheduling to make sure that all of the courses are A-G approved by the university systems. The District will also spend $1 million on extra work agreements and school business agreements and $1 million on resources and materials.
The grant funds will be used to “examine current grading policies and scheduling practices, according to a submission for the Nov. 16 Board of Education agenda by Jennifer Slater-Sanchez, director of Categorical and Special Programs.
She added the grant funds will also be used to “increase equitable access for all students, increase AP offerings, increase the number of students in CTE academies and AVID, increase inclusion opportunities in A-G classes and review/evaluate course offerings.”
The Board voted 4-1 to approve the grant award, with member Victoria Ruffin dissenting.
She has repeatedly voiced concern about the two-thirds of students in the District who are not enrolled in A-G classes.
“Let’s get more specific about how these resources here will reach our most deserving and our most at-hope students,” Ruffin said. She said she voted no because she knew the rest of the Board would vote yes.