Advanced Placement courses not as successful as hoped?

[badrose]

Interesting read. Could just be overzealousness hoping to get more Federal $$$

http://redalertpolitics.com/2013/08/23/advanced-placement-courses-doing-little-to-help-students/

[PedroDaGr8]

Interesting read. Could just be overzealousness hoping to get more Federal $$$

http://redalertpolitics.com/2013/08/23/advanced-placement-courses-doing-little-to-help-students/

I took enough AP classes (and passed all the tests) that I was basically one credit shy of a sophomore when I entered Uni. Even if I hadn't gotten a single hour of credit, the classes were some of my most enjoyed because they were taught a such a high level. WIth less passing the test, I still fail to see a downside. If you look at the sheer numbers, the number of passing grades has increased. This means that students who previously would not have taken this class have taken it and passed. At this point I am still not sure what the outrage is about. Yeah, they didn't pass the test but they still took a class that was much harder than your traditional "advanced" classes. Yeah the percentage is lower, indicating that there needs to be work done on the teaching and support front but that's not something to be outraged over. I even heard people on the radio saying this shows we should cut AP classes altogether or limit them only to students who can test in to them. Bullshit. If a student wants to take an extra difficult course (and at least tries to learn) let them. You may find a few kids that have fallen through and been misjudged.

[CitizenBBN]

Pedro for me the risk is the lowering of the standards of AP classes. As they become a basis for funding and teacher pay there is an incentive to slap the AP label on as many things as possible whether it should qualify or not. What happens is you could lose the truly high end teaching as things move to teaching to the mean, and more advanced students lose opportunities.

The whole point of AP was to provide opportunities to advanced students who weren't getting them within the "do it by the numbers" education system that teaches to the average (or worse). If more advanced kids were being held back in the history class by those who weren't able to do the work, and you now put those same kids back in with the more capable kids, you've now put them back in the same situation.

Every parent thinks their kid is advanced, every school administrator wants his school to be chocked full of "AP level students", and no one is willing to accept that it's not always the case.

Students in classes who can't contribute or do the work will hurt the other students. It slows down the amount of material that gets covered, the depth of coverage, the level of work the class can do. What teacher can get away with "tough" as the answer to a student who isn't able to keep up? That doesn't happen, what you get is wasted class time explaining concepts while the best and brightest sit and wait, counter to the whole point of AP work.

If a student cannot do the work required in the class to be successful they don't belong in the class. They can work hard and study more and dedicate themselves and move up to that level of work if they want, but you have to earn that spot, not have it given to you and then see if you can do it. If you didn't have As in the regular class, you don't get into the AP class. (barring advanced kids getting lower grades b/c they're bored to tears, which happens, but is again a case by case but merit based assignment)

I'm all for getting as many kids as possible the best education possible, and if the kid is there b/c he/she really wants to learn and reach for the next level that's great, but when it's b/c administrators are getting bigger budgets b/c they have more "AP students" this year than last, that's a crock.

[ram]

In my former profession, we worked with two nearby colleges to begin offering dual credit courses in our high school. We were able to offer enough classes that a kid could take enough courses to earn 30+ college hours. We made sure the courses we offered were among those that ky colleges were required to accept.

We were criticized because kids chose to take dual credit (guaranteed college credit) vs AP which did not guarantee credit. In my opinion, while there is a place for AP, good quality dual credit classes are much better for most students.

ram

[KeithKSR]

It is easier and less expensive on students to forgo the AP tests and take the CLEP test instead. I spent a day cramming for a CLEP, went in got a passing score and had three hours of credit as a result. Kids need to CLEP as many gen ed classes in HS as they can, it will save them money in the long run.

[dan_bgblue]

Back in the day, they were called college prep courses. No college credit was given for taking the course in HS, but it was supposed to make your transition to college easier. The CP chemistry class and lab I took was the same 101 course I was allowed to take my first semester in college. Same for 101 English Lit, Trigonometry, Biology and world history. There was no option to test out on those courses and move to the next level.

I was a bored and disillusioned young puppy. I paid $1,500.00 tuition and room and board to not learn a dang thing in the classroom that semester. Actually I did learn the rules of golf and badminton in the mandatory PE classes for freshmen. Unfortunately there were plenty of other things to earn about in 1971.