From AP to ROP – Dublin High School Academic Choice

As Dublin High’s enrollment increases so does academic choice for Dublin students.  Dublin High School currently has 1,500 students which is less than high schools in neighboring school districts (including Pleasanton Unified and San Ramon Unified).  The Dublin High $120M renewal project, largely complete this year, adds capacity for 2,500 students (neighboring high schools average 2,000+ students).  In addition to 22 Advanced Placement (AP), Advanced and Honors classes for college prep, Dublin High also offers a 24 of ROP (Regional Occupational Program) courses in partnership with Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Program (ROP).  

Dublin High’s new Advanced Scholar Diploma (one of three diploma options offered by Dublin High) was designed based on the rigorous expectations of the University of California (UC) system and top private colleges.  To help navigate students to the college of their choice, Dublin High’s Counseling Dept. starts in 9th grade, helping parents and students build individualized 4-year plans.  Parents and students, working with a counselor, map out a 4-year plan based on post-secondary goals.  In 2009, 49 Dublin High students earned College Board AP Scholar awards, 95% reported attending college and in 2010 Newsweek included Dublin High in its list of America’s Top Public High Schools.  

With increasing enrollment comes additional choice.  For the 2010-11 class Dublin High is adding the following courses:  

• Principles of Engineering: the first step towards in building the Dublin High Engineering Academy, complementing smaller learning community career pathways focused on areas including Biotechnology, Computer Technology, Visual Communications / Graphic Design and more.
• ROP Video Game Art & Design
• ROP Animation & Motion Graphics II
• ROP Visual Communications (Print Graphics) II

These courses build on the existing selection of Dublin High AP, Honors and Advanced classes available for students:  

• Mathematics and Science: AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, AP Physics, ROP AP Environmental Science
• English: Advanced English 1, Honors English 2H, Honors English 3H – American  Literature, AP English Language And Composition, Honors English 4H -World Literature, AP English Literature And Composition
• Foreign Language: Honors French 4, AP French 5, Honors Spanish 4, AP Spanish 5
• Social Science: AP European History, AP U.S. History, AP Microeconomics, AP U.S. Government and Politics

Among the ROP academic offerings, students can select from: ROP Sports Medicine / Athletic Trainer, ROP Environmental Science, ROP AP Environmental Science, ROP Water Pollution Control , ROP Alternative Renewable Energy, ROP Television Production, ROP Animation & Motion Graphics I / II, ROP Visual Communications (Print Graphics) I / II, ROP Multi-Media I / II, ROP Video Game Art & Design and more.  

Livermore-based Tri-Valley Learning Corp. submitted a petition for a charter high school (Tassajara Prep) which was recently denied by the Dublin Unified School District based on its Findings of Fact.  Tri-Valley Learning Corp. has the option to appeal the denial to the Alameda County Office of Education.  OneDublin.org has made an argument for one high school until enrollment approaches the Dublin High capacity of 2,500 students in order to expand student choice through funding scale.  

Among the findings of fact prepared by the Dublin Unified School District (full details available here):  

• The lack of detail on how Tassajara Prep would provide the “college-prep environment” that is core to its charter.  “The petition contains essentially one paragraph descriptions of each of the subjects the school’s first incoming 9th grade students “may” be expected to take. There are no specific content standards or outcomes described.”
• No state standards were “addressed in any of the identified areas (i.e., English, History, Math, Science, Art, Foreign Language, Technology), with the possible exception of Foreign Language.”
• “the petition states it will have the latest state of the art technology, but there is an inadequate funding plan for acquiring such hardware and software.”
• The charter petition does not include “lesson design for pupils identified as low achieving”
• Significant gaps regarding special education including: “no information was provided indicating the Petitioner has consulted with the County Office or SELPA staff regarding specific responsibilities for the provision of instruction to special needs students” and “no specific information was provided regarding the Charter School’s fiscal allocation plan for special education”
• A budget which is “unworkable and/or inaccurate”

Below Dublin High School students talk about their experiences at Dublin High in the first person: