Pre – Advanced Placement

A BRIDGE TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT

AN INFORMATION SESSION FOR PARENTS

Goals for this presentation:

1. Provide information that will assist parents and students in making decisions about secondary course options

2. Provide information on advanced course options for grade 6

3. Explain how GT students are served within the PreAP Program.

Pre-Advanced Placement, Grades 6-10 • PreAP courses provide

appropriately challenging curriculum for students who are ready for advanced coursework

• PreAP & PreAP/GT courses support the development of skills and concepts necessary for success in Advanced Placement courses in high school

What is Advanced Placement?• College Level Courses

• Available for grades 10-12 (generally)

• Designed and administered by the CollegeBoard

• Katy ISD AP courses in Math, Science,Social Studies, English, World Languages, Fine Arts and Computer Science

Advanced Placement Exams

• Two or three hour exams• Multiple choice questions• Free response questions• Administered in May• Scored on 1-5 scale• Scores of 3, 4, 5 are

generally accepted for college credit.

Advanced Placement is not just about college credit, It is also…

• Students experiencing college level instruction while in the supportive home/school environment

• Students developing college-level analytical and study skills

• Students gaining academic confidence

WHAT COUNTS IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

1992 NACAC Survey College AdmissionsOfficials

% citing “considerablyimportant”

Pre-AP (grades 6-10) in Katy ISD is designed to better prepare students for the academic rigor of Advanced Placement courses.

PreAP is NOT AdvancedPlacement.

Pre-AP Curriculum in Katy ISD

• Built upon the core academic curriculum• Academically advanced course of study

o Curriculum objectiveso Resourceso Performance expectations

• Developed with a concentration on building the student’s capacity to understand rigorous content

English/Language Arts

English / Language Arts

6th Pre-AP Reading and Pre-AP English

7th Pre-AP Reading and Pre-AP English8th Pre-AP English

9th Pre-AP English I

10th Pre-AP English II

11th AP English Language and Composition

12th AP English Literature and Composition

English / Language Arts

Academic Pre-AP/AP

No required summer reading

Summer reading beginning the

summer after 5th

gradeTimed assessments are

not emphasizedTimed Writings

Young Adult Literature Authors of Merit

Social Studies

6thPre-AP World Cultures

7thPre-AP Texas History

8thPre-AP U.S. History

9th

&10th

Pre-AP World Geography OR

AP Human Geography

Pre-AP World History OR

AP World History

11thAP U.S. History / AP Psychology (10,11 or 12th)

12thAP Government/AP EconomicsAP European History (11 or 12th)

Social Studies

● Primary and secondary document analysis

● Outside reading in addition to textbook

● Accountability for independent reading

● Thesis and Essay Writing

● Note-making

Social Studies Skill Development

Science

Science6th Pre-AP Science

7th Pre-AP Science

8th Pre-AP Science

9th Pre-AP Biology

10th Pre-AP Chemistry

11th AP Physics 1

12th AP Physics 2, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, or AP Environmental Science

Mathematics

The Special Case of Mathematics…..

• Goal of Pre-AP Mathematics in grades 6 and 7: success in Algebra I in 8th grade

• Accelerated curriculum in 6th and 7th grades• 6th grade PreAP math includes ½ 7th

grade math

• 7th grade PreAP math includes ½ of 7th and all of 8th grademath.

High School Math Courses

Pre-AP Geometry

Pre-AP Algebra II

➢8th

➢9th

➢10th

➢11th

➢12th AP Calculus AB or BC

Pre-AP Pre-calculus

Algebra I

MathematicsAcademic Pre-AP/AP

6th/ 7th

Sixth and Seventhgrade curriculum

6th, 7th and 8th gradecurriculum

8th Eighth grademathematics

Algebra I

9th Algebra I Pre-AP Geometry

12th Pre-calculus(Possibly AP

Statistics)

AP Calculus AB or BC APStatistics

Making Course Decisions….

College Board’s Equity Policy Statement

…equitable access a guiding principle for their AP programs by giving all willing and academically prepared students the opportunity to participate in AP.

…students should have access to academically challenging course work before they enroll in AP classes, which can prepare them for AP success.

Advanced Academics in KatyISD

• Katy ISD recognizes the value of student participation in advanced academiccoursework and encourages students to graduate from high school with advanced academic course credit.

• Students are encouraged to access the most rigorous curriculum in which they can be successful, generally defined as earning a Cor better semester average.

Katy ISD Advanced Academics

• PreAP and AP courses are designed to challenge students beyond grade-level academic coursesand prepare them for success in future advanced level coursework.

• Student performance in related courses and teacher input are important elements for parents and studentsto consider in selecting advanced coursework.

• Students may require additional encouragementand support to be successful in these courses.

Katy ISD Advanced Academics

Students who opt to participate in AP or PreAPmust:✓ Successfully complete prerequisite courses

as specified in the course catalog✓ Demonstrate mastery on course-related

state- mandated performance assessments such as STAAR.

✓ Recognize the long term benefits ofparticipation, seek assistance when needed, and commit to staying in the course for a minimum of one semester.

Access to Advanced Academics

Making a decision about Pre-AP and AP1. Consider state test performance and

other course related performance data.2. Review semester averages earned in

core classes.3. Self assess in terms of student attitudes

and study habits.4. Consider personal/academic interests

and strengths.

Demonstrating Persistence…

To encourage students to remain in an advanced course, prior to exiting a course, students must complete aseries of steps….

Exiting Advanced Academic Courses

• Students experiencing success (C or better SEMESTERaverage)should remain in the course for the semester.

• Students petitioning to exit a PreAP or AP course must: conference with the teacher, complete all courseassignments, and/or attend recommended tutorials.

• Granting the petition is based on input from theteacher, student performance in the course,availability of space in other courses, and the timingof the request.

Points to remember…

• Choices include from zero to multiple Pre-AP courses

• Students successful in 5th grade mathematics should be in PreAP.

Points to remember …

“Some As are not as good as some Bs.”

Emil Kreider Economics Professor, Beloit College

FAQs

How many Pre-AP courses should a 6th grader take?

✓ It depends. Sixth grade course options are English, Reading, Math, Social Studies and Science.

✓ As many students take all Pre-AP as takesome Pre-AP

✓ Students with strong grades in 5th grade are generally successful in pre-AP.

FAQs

Do Pre-AP courses have more homework than academic courses?

• Usually, yes. But - parentsand students respond thatthe homework amount isgenerally appropriate

Are students enrolled in Pre-Ap coursesable to participate in extracurricularactivities?

• Many athletes,cheerleaders, music students, etc. successfully take Pre-AP and AP courses.

FAQs

FAQs

Can a student who does not enroll in Pre-APcourses in 6th grade begin Pre-AP in 7th?

• Generally, yes. Math, however, requires special consideration. Studentswho are strong in math should begin Pre-AP Math in 6th grade.

FAQs

Is there a difference between the gradepoints awarded for PreAP and PreAP/GT?

• No. Both PreAP and PreAP/GT courses carry a “weighted” grade point.

• Junior high courses do not contribute to the official high school Grade PointAverage.

Grade inthe course

AcademicGrade Pts.

PreAP & PreAP/GT Grade Pts.

A 4 5B 3 4C 2 3D 1 2F 0 0

FAQs

• Students who enroll in Pre-AP in junior high benefit from early preparation and academic rigor to develop the academic skills to more easily transition to AP coursework.

• Grades earned in junior high courses do not count toward the high school GPA (high school courses taken in junior high do count toward high school GPA)

Why try Pre-AP in junior high?

FAQs

● There is a process in place known as Credit By Exam. Contact your campus counselor for moreinformation.

● Deadlines:http://www.katyisd.org/pages/district-calendars.aspx

Can my child test out of a JH course to accelerate to the next level?

PreAP and Gifted Learners

• Students identified as Gifted are served within the PreAP program in classes designated as PreAP/GT.

• Only students formally identified should enroll in courses designated PreAP/GT. Parents of 5th grade students who are identified for the secondary GT program should receive notifications this week regarding GT course approvals.

• Newly identified for the secondary program

• Challenge students

Most GT secondary students are clustered in Pre-APclasses. What is the advantage of GT identification in that situation?

• GT identification is designed to address the particular educational needs of the giftedlearner.

• The teacher must have 30 hours of GT training• The teacher is aware of the GT identification

and can address unique needs of gifted learners in that class.

• GT students are part of a learning community that can help meet their social/emotional and intellectual needs.

• A cluster of GT students in a class creates a uniquedynamic in the classroom that is evidenced by the dialogue and the depth of the conversation in theclass.

FAQsIs GT “more work”?

• GT students should not receive assignments “in addition to” the standard assignments, but may receive assignments “in lieu of” the standard assignments. Replacement assignments are typically more open ended and flexible in the way students demonstrates their learning.

FAQs

Is it advisable to take all PreAP/ GT classes?

• It depends on the strengths and interests of the individual child.

What if my student is not identified in all areas?

• Students may enroll in PreAP classes or appropriate academic classes. Screening for service in additional areas may be requested in the spring of each year.

FAQs

My child is approved for a GT course for next year, but we decide not to enroll in that course that grade. Can my child enroll in that GT course in the next grade?

• No. Your child will have to be screened for that content area during the spring screening window in the next school year for service in the following school year.

FAQsWhat if my child is not successful in the program?

● Contact the GT facilitator about exit policies.

Can my child leave the program?● Yes; students can formally exit the program or furlough

from the program.

What is a furlough?● A temporary exit from a GT course for specific reasons

detailed in KISD board policy, such as a schedule conflict. Furloughs are limited to a specific timeframe.

What ifwe moveto a different school in Katy ISD or my child is affected by changes in attendance zones?

Students identified for the KISD GT Program at one campus will join the GT Program attheir newcampus.

Goals for this presentation

1. Provide information that will assist parents and students in making decisions about secondary course options.

2. Provide information on advanced course options for grade 6.

3. Explain how GT students are served within the PreAP Program.

For additional information:

● Attend Course Selection Nights as scheduled by the junior high school

● Consult the 2019-2020 CourseCatalog

● Contact the Junior High Counselor