This year 41% of all Black sophomores at Oak Park and River Forest High School are taking an Honors or Advanced Placement course. That compares to 36 percent of Black sophomores at OPRF one year ago. That increase is probably mostly accountable to last year’s implementation of the Honors for All freshman curriculum at OPRF. At the Sept. 7 Committee of the Whole Meeting of the OPRF school board, the school administration presented a one year evaluation of the revised freshman curriculum which eliminated the College Prep level for most freshman courses. In the subjects of English, World History, Physics and French or Spanish I OPRF freshman are enrolled in either an Honors class or a Transitions or remedial class with the great majority of freshmen being placed in Honors classes. The goal of Honors for All is to give more Black and Hispanic students, and more students in general, access to rigorous Honors and AP classes. The 32-page report by the administration reported that the school had maintained similar achievement patterns and made what the report refers to as “small gains” in increased access to Honors courses. The changed curriculum is commonly referred to as detracking.But the disparity among Black and white sophomores at OPRF is still great. Some 77% of white sophomores, and 85% of Asian sophomores are taking Honors or AP classes this year compared to 41% of Black sophomores and 60% of Hispanic sophomores.