An Advanced Placement course is, by design, a college level course taught in the high school context using a standardized course syllabus aligned with the College Board Advanced Placement test for that course.
Advanced Placement courses are most often delivered as separate, stand-alone courses. However, schools retain the flexibility to use alternate delivery systems as appropriate.
1. Advanced Placement (AP) courses may be offered in any subject area approved by the College Board and in which the College Board offers a testing program.
2. Course syllabi, including content, instructional materials, and activities are suggested by the College Board and are designed to prepare students for the AP exams at the end of each course. Earning qualifying scores on such exams may result in college credits being granted in those subject areas. However, this decision is made by the individual college.
3. While AP courses are offered in the same subject areas as are in the regular curriculum, AP curricula will vary from the regular curricula since it will be developed according to College Board guidelines. AP curricula may or may not be aligned with California Content Standards in specific subjects.
4. In general, AP courses are more specialized and go into greater depth than regular courses in the same subject area. AP courses are designed for those high school students capable of doing college level work in particular subject areas.
Curriculum
AP curricula are suggested national curricula based upon detailed subject matter, data analysis and critical thinking. The culminating exams are the same all across the United States. While the local district has some flexibility in designing these curricula they must be aligned with the College Board guidelines and prepare students for the standardized national exams.
A recommendation for the implementation of an Advanced Placement course shall follow the same procedures established for the recommendation of any new course. A course of study must be written in the district-approved format and approved by the Board of Trustees before the course can be offered.
(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation)
Advanced (AP) courses shall be based upon district Advanced Placement guidelines at all grade levels. (AR 6141.5)
Each AP course shall be evaluated according to the Curriculum Development Cycle guidelines established for all district courses.
Teacher Support
The district recognizes that teaching an AP course provides a professional challenge. Teaching an accelerated enrichment course or a college-equivalent course may require additional professional development in content and/or pedagogy. Also, the admissions process may require additional teacher/clerical time to evaluate student work.
The district will provide opportunities for AP teachers to participate in additional staff development within the scope of available resources. Priority shall be given to those teaching an AP course for the first time.
The district will also provide additional clerical/administrative support to the extent possible within the Gifted and Talented (GATE) categorical funding.
Program Guidelines
1. The district intends to provide educational opportunities which meets the diverse needs of students and which capitalize on unique talents of the teaching staff. It is also recognized that decisions about individual course offerings must be made in the context of the comprehensive high school program so that balance and scope are maintained. Care should be taken to include advanced courses in Fine Arts and Applied Technology as well as in the traditional academic areas.
2. The district recommends that students/parents be carefully advised of the course expectations and additional workload of Advanced Placement courses so that they can make an informed decision about participation. Students who are accepted to more than one AP/Honors course need to carefully consider their interests and other commitments to make certain they have the time to fully participate in these classes.
3. Each school shall design a program of honors/AP opportunities for students grades 9-12, including at least one honors/AP option in each core subject area (English, Mathematics, Fine Arts, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages). Programs may be different at different schools, and courses may be offered in a variety of formats, but students at each school will have equal access to the range of district courses and programs. Care must be taken to ensure that Honors and AP courses fit into a sensible sequence for students.
4. Honors/AP courses shall be staffed according to the district's Staffing Guidelines. Thus, courses must have sufficient enrollment in order to be offered at a school.
5. The number of students who may participate in such programs will not be established by a quota or percentage system, nor shall students be identified as "honors" students for all subjects on the basis of a single set of criteria. However, entrance criteria will be developed and implemented for each AP option that identify students who have the prerequisites to meet the more challenging academic expectations.
6. Because AP courses are college courses and must be finished prior to the testing dates in early May, students enrolling in Advanced Placement courses may be required to complete summer assignments prior to the beginning of the course in order to be able to cover the entire curriculum. These assignments may be included in computing the student's course grade. Students enrolled in AP courses are expected to take the AP exam, but this cannot be a course requirement.
7. All district approved AP courses shall carry a weighted grade point for purposes of computing a student's grade point average. Colleges and universities have their own guidelines for assigning weighted grades, so AP course grades may or may not be weighted when evaluated for admissions by these post-secondary institutions.
Admissions Criteria
The primary purposes for establishing criteria for admission to AP courses are 1) to assist students and parents/guardians in making appropriate educational choices, 2) to provide equitable access to these courses for all students in the district, and 3) to ensure that students who are admitted are those who can benefit from the increased challenge.
All AP courses shall establish written criteria for admission as part of the district course of study and be consistently applied at all schools.
1. Criteria must include specific prerequisites tied to the course objectives - such prerequisites may include, for example, completion of preparatory courses, demonstrated performance, related experience, and/or certain qualifying scores on standardized tests or district assessments (e.g. Core Literacy Portfolio). The methods of assessing attainment of the prerequisites must be specified and should include a variety of measures such as writing samples, portfolios, interviews, grades, test scores.
2. Teacher recommendation may be used as a criterion, but a prescribed format and guidelines for the recommendation must be provided. At least two teacher Recommendations should be required if teacher recommendations are included in the criteria.
3. Additional criteria may be used provided they are clearly stated and applied in an equitable manner. For example, teacher's approval, reading comprehension level, and/or attendance may be appropriate criteria for some courses. Overall GPA and class rank are probably not appropriate since they do not reflect specialized talent appropriate to a particular course.
4. If course grades are used as a criterion, the grade from the most recent grading period (semester or progress report grade) will be used in the admissions screening except when grades from multiple courses or semesters are required. Students will be admitted contingent upon maintaining the required course grades for the semester and meeting any prerequisite performance standards which are not available at the time of initial screening.
5. Completion of summer assignments may not be included in the course admissions criteria but may be included in required coursework and included in the course grade calculation.
Selection Process
Each school shall plan for a coordinated Honors/Advanced Placement selection process, following district guidelines, with site specific timeline including schedule of information meetings, screening assessment, and submission of applications. Criteria shall be as stated in the courses of study and district AP/Honors Matrix.
The following procedures shall be followed:
1. A procedure for informing parents/guardians and students of course purpose, expectations, prerequisites, process for selection, and grading must be established. Such a process must include written information and may include individual and/or group meetings prior to enrollment.
2. Dissemination methods shall be established that ensure that all parents and students have access to the information prior to any required meetings, screening activities, or application deadlines. In addition, parents and students shall be provided with a description of the Appeals process either as part of the initial information or as part of the application status notification.
3. The principal (or designee) shall review all information and procedures prior to dissemination to students and parents/guardians to ensure consistency with the course of study and AR 6141.5.
4. Each school shall post a description of the admissions procedures, timelines, and key contact people on its website.
5. All admissions screening/testing for AP/Honors courses must be completed at least three weeks before the end of the semester (or May 1 for fall course admissions). Each school shall establish the deadlines as needed in order to coordinate with district staffing and site schedule development timelines.
6. Students who miss the deadline for applying or who fail to complete the required assessments will not be given additional opportunities unless they had made prior arrangements with teacher in charge. Exceptions to this must be approved by the principal.
7. All students who apply shall be notified of their status according to the timeline established for the selection process.
8. Transfer students who enroll after the admissions testing has been completed shall be given an opportunity to meet the criteria.
9. Students who are accepted into an AP course must confirm their enrollment prior to the deadline established in the confirmation agreement. It is suggested that a written confirmation be signed by the parent/guardian and student indicating that they will fulfill the commitments required for the course. (See Exhibit 6141.5)
10. Each department chair shall maintain a file of all selection records, including assessments taken, until the end of the semester following selection.
Appeal Process
The district's AP courses are intended for students who are well prepared for advanced level work in specific subjects. The coursework is more accelerated and requires more individual student self-direction. Each course has specific criteria for admissions based upon teachers' experience with what is necessary for success in these more rigorous, fast paced courses.
Only students who meet the criteria will be admitted to the course. The district recognizes that there are situations which might require some reconsideration of a student's assessment in relationship to the course admissions criteria. This Appeal process is intended to provide for that
reconsideration when appropriate.
The reasons for appeal are limited to the following:
1. There has been an error in evaluating the student's performance on the specific criteria.
2. The specific measures used to evaluate the student on the criteria did not accurately reflect the student's preparation for the course.
Level 1: Informal Review
Within five school days of receiving notice that the student has not been accepted into an AP/Honors course, the student may contact the teacher in charge and schedule an appointment to review his/her status on all criteria. The scope of this review is limited to whether or not the student has met the entrance criteria.
The teacher determines whether a) the original decision stands or b) the student should be admitted to the course. The teacher shall finalize a decision within five school days.
Level 2: Formal Review
Within 10 school days of completion of a Level 1 review, the student may present to the principal, in writing, his/her case for being admitted to the course. The letter should be accompanied by specific evidence that the student does meet the criteria, such as additional work samples related to the subject, additional teacher recommendations, or a counselors' statement of extenuating circumstances which need to be considered. It is the student's responsibility to make the case for admission based upon additional evidence as presented.
The principal shall notify the student of the decision within 10 working days of receipt of the request for review. The principal's decision shall be final.
Dropping Advanced Placement Courses
Changing classes after the school schedule and staffing have been established can have substantial impact on other students' learning environment (e.g. imbalance in class sizes, changes in teacher assignments). For this reason, it is important that students/parents weigh the decision to enroll in an Advanced Placement course carefully before making the commitment.
Once a student and parent(s) have signed the commitment contract and been enrolled in an AP course, the student cannot drop that course without the principal's permission. A student will only be allowed to drop if the principal determines that there was an extenuating circumstance to justify the drop.
Extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to the following: a) a medical condition not known at the time of making the commitment, b) a family emergency (e.g. death, divorce, relocation), c) a necessary change in a student's school schedule made after
the time of commitment that precludes participation in the honors course and/or which significantly increases the student's workload, d) a significant change in the student's schedule outside of school, such as the need to work or unanticipated opportunities for other special activities that were not known at the time of commitment, or e) the teacher determines that the student should be dropped.
Once the semester begins, student/teacher requests to change classes must be made according to the deadlines for class changes (AR 5121).
(cf. 5121 - Grades and Evaluation of Student Achievement)
Regulation TAMALPAIS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Approved: June 8, 1993 Larkspur, California
Revised: February 13, 2001
Revised: April 30, 2002
Revised: December 7, 2004