RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has approved the proposed Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course after a months-long review.
A spokesperson with VDOE said the Secretary of Education’s office has completed its review of the AP African American Studies course and found that it did not violate Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s first executive order banning “the use of divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory, and to raise academic standards.”
Earlier this year, Youngkin requested a review of the course after Gov. Ron Desantis (R) blocked the course from being taught in Florida. The decision underscored Republican efforts to ban certain teachings on race, history and gender — most prominently, the banning of critical race theory.
“At the governor’s request, Secretary Guidera conducted a review of the AP African American Studies course,” a spokesperson for Youngkin said. “After a thorough analysis, the Secretary of Education has determined that the AP African American Studies course meets executive order one standards and the pilot will be offered in some Virginia schools this coming fall.”
The course has now been assigned an SCED code and some Virginia schools will offer the final year of the pilot this year.