by Quintessa Williams
What happens in Florida rarely stays in Florida when it comes to education policy. Now, as the state’s lawmakers advance legislation that would slash state funding for college-level high school courses by half, education advocates are sounding the alarm that the move could deepen educational and racial inequities nationwide.
In early April, the Florida House introduced a bill, House Bill 5101, that would reduce state support for Advanced Placement courses, International Baccalaureate programs, dual enrollment, and career and technical education by up to 50%.
Black students already have less access to AP, the most academically rigorous classes, essential for admission to the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. If students can score a three or higher on an AP course’s corresponding exam, they are, depending on the school, eligible to receive college credit. It’s no wonder, then, that advocates say the AP program has helped level the college admissions playing field.
If the bill passes, cash-strapped school districts across the state—especially those serving low-income and predominantly Black communities—could be forced to reduce or eliminate AP and other advanced coursework altogether. The legislation would also eliminate funding for teacher bonuses, testing fees, and instructional materials that schools depend on to offer these programs.
“It’s truly another stab at public education,” says Yasmina White, a parent leader and education advocate in Jacksonville, Florida. “It’s being set up to dismantle public schools. And it’s heartbreaking.”
And White worries that this legislation to effectively defund AP could signal a national trend. “Once Florida does it, others will follow,” White says, noting that Texas has already cited Florida as a model. “We’re already seeing how these talking points travel.”
Cutting Already Unequal Access
For decades, AP classes have provided access to college course credit, scholarships, and vital academic prep for students who often don’t have access to resources like private tutoring or legacy admissions.
Florida’s House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, a Democrat from Tampa, recently spoke up against the cuts, pointing out that AP classes were instrumental to her “personal dream of attending Harvard University” coming true. Her Florida high school “paid for our AP classes, and coming from a family of six that was on a salary of a teacher and my dad who worked at Publix, I don’t know that we could have afforded those.”
Once at Harvard, the academic rigor of her high school AP courses enabled Driskell to place out of introductory classes at Harvard, “even though she came from a public school in little humble Polk County.”
That’s an AP class success story worth celebrating, but it’s out of reach for most Black students. Although Black students make up 15% of the K–12 population, College Board data from 2024 shows that only 11% participated in AP courses, compared to 19% of white students and 50% of Asian American students.
White has also seen firsthand how AP classes and other advanced coursework programs have prepared Black students for college.
“I’ve seen so many friends, colleagues, and family members take AP classes, be in IB programs, and do dual enrollment — and it made a difference,” she says. “But when you cut these programs, you cut access.
This isn’t the first time AP courses have come under attack in Florida. In 2023, under the leadership of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), the Florida Department of Education rejected the AP African American Studies course, saying it was “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.” Other conservative-led states soon followed suit, leading College Board, which administers the Advanced Placement program, to revise the curriculum.
In an email to Word In Black, College Board said it is “closely monitoring” what’s happening in Florida. It acknowledged “districts are concerned about the potential impact” of Florida’s legislation. However, they also pointed out that, over the years, educators and districts across the state have worked closely with them to ensure access to AP.
Ultimately, College Board said it remains “committed to working with schools and districts to ensure continued access to AP opportunities.”
What’s Next?
Nevertheless, some districts have started planning course reductions, while others are urging families to contact state legislators and local school board members before it’s too late.
“Start local and ask questions,” White says. “Don’t stay in that mindset that things will never change — because thinking that way ensures they won’t.”
White also encourages people not to be discouraged: “Stay engaged. Stay involved. Keep accessing these programs and telling your story,” she says. “We are living through our own civil rights movement. The people before us had far less and still fought. We can too.”
Source: Seattle Medium