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A recent article in the Huffington Post by Alex Mallory discussed the reasons that some elite private schools, including members of the Independent Curriculum Group, have dropped Advanced Placement or AP exams from their curricula.

The Independent Curriculum Group, whose mission, in their words, is to "put students at the center of the education process," claims that AP courses, which grant college credit to students who score above a 3 (out of 5), lead to restricting teachers' freedom in the classroom. The group also believes that teaching to the AP tests means that classes are often stilted and are not conducive to real learning because they favor teaching a large amount of material over the detailed study of specific topics.

Schools such as Fieldston in New York City have already decided to drop their AP classes, though 12 million students in the U.S. still take the AP classes each year. The Huffington Post article argues that many elite private schools already have close connections with top-notch colleges that make AP classes unnecessary. In other words, although AP classes are intended to show colleges that students have mastered college-level work, colleges already know that students at elite private schools can do this type of work.

What do you think about AP classes at your school? Do you think that they are part of a private-school education, or are they rendered unnecessary because of the generally already sophisticated level of the class work? Do you think they help or hurt instruction at your school?

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In a recent article about how to pay for private school, I talked about how to use Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Coverdell ESAs can be used to pay for a student's education in a private (including a religious) school for grades K-12 (the money can also be used for college and for qualified expenses until a beneficiary turns 30). The accounts can also be used to pay for expenses at public and private schools, such as tutoring, uniforms, computers, extracurricular programs, books, and other school-related expenses. Though the contributions to Coverdell ESAs, which have a limit of $2,000 per year, are not tax deductible, the interest that the gathers in the account is not taxed. If the money withdrawn from the accounts is used for educational expenses, it is not taxed.

There are other rules that govern Coverdell ESAs. For example, married taxpayers must have a modified adjusted gross income of less than $190,000 to make the maximum contribution. If married couples make between $190,000 and $220,000, they can make a partial contribution, and the benefit phases out after $220,000 in income. Single taxpayers must have modified adjusted gross incomes of under $95,000 to make the maximum contribution, and the benefit phases out after $110,000 in income. In addition to parents, other parties, such as family, friends, corporations, and unions can fund a Coverdell ESA, meaning that a family can find a way to defray some of the costs of attending school.

Georgetown

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Founded in 1945, Georgetown Day School, now a prekindergarten-12 school serving about 1,000 students, was the first integrated school in Washington, D.C. The seven families who founded the school wanted to start an institution known not only for academic excellence but also for a progressive education and for fostering social justice.

Fostering diversity is still a central goal of the school, and it has an Office of Diversity whose co-directors advise the staff about how to create and respect diverse populations and how to infuse the curriculum with a multi-cultural appreciation. The school also has a strong community service program.

In addition to offering a top-notch academic program centered on class discussion and on fostering independent thinking, the school has a vibrant arts program. Teachers and students are on a first-name basis at the school, and children are regarded as co-creators of their educational experiences. The school's teachers are known for their dedication to the students and to the school's mission. Georgetown Day School's famous alumni include novelist Jonathan Safran Foer and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz.

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In this blog, I will regularly write about novel classes at private schools around the country to provide insight into the variety of approaches that independent school use. The Mountain School of Milton Academy, an independent semester-long program in which 45 high-school juniors from around the country  live on a farm in Vermont, requires its students to take a class in Environmental Science.  Because students have access to the farm and rural campus on which the school is based, they can apply firsthand what they learn in the classroom. For example, students examine the geological, ecological and cultural history of New England and then look at how those forces have affected a part of the campus.

Students at the Mountain School also have to work on the farm. There is no maintenance staff, so they must clean the school, perform farm chores, and prepare food--all of which helps drive home the lessons of Environmental Science in a way that just sitting in the classroom never could. The Mountain School offers a unique farm-and-academic experience that aims to create scholars who appreciate the beauty of the outdoors in both academic and practical ways.