The Glen Cove Board of Education talked curriculum at Monday’s public meeting at Robert M. Finley Middle School, focusing on standardized testing within the district.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Laria led the discussion, which addressed Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

Board trustees worried the AP class content could be watered down if high school students receive high grades in the course, yet a low grade on standardized tests.

Advanced Placement Exam Review (APEX) - a series of online courses and reviews for students as a virtual high school - was suggested as a possible, helpful tool. Laria stated its implementation was under review.

While discussing curriculum and the Northwest Evaluation Assessment (NWEA), the board agreed that when it comes to generating data with test scores, the process is just as important as the content.

“It is one thing to generate data,” began Laria. “But data is the ‘what’…then we have to figure out the ‘so what’ and then the ‘now what.’”

Other topics addressed at the meeting included grade level proficiencies, and academic intervention services.

Earlier, the Glen Cove P.T.A. presented gifts to the school board in recognition of their service.

President of the Glen Cove Teachers' Association Karen Ferguson also presented a token of appreciation in the form of a book: “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” by Diane Ravitch.

The novel offers a critique of today’s most popular ideas for restructuring schools, including privatization and standardized testing.

Ferguson made it a point to mention the book was written prior to the new, state-mandated APPR, a teacher evaluation system deemed as flawed by local educators.

“I have a granddaughter that is starting kindergarten…I am truly worried that she will sit in classroom… and have [subjects] rammed down her throat,” she expressed, indicating her concern with the new teaching standards, and the pressures it may put on students.