It’s Not About the Money. It’s About the Kids – Page 9

It’s easy to draw the conclusion that a large number of Advanced Placement courses available at a school is a reflection of that school’s quality. However, what is more telling is the number of students that are actually seated in classes and the results of AP testing.

This study has looked at 9 schools with enrollments that range from 500 to 1,383 students.

Advanced Placement courses are designed for students who have excelled in previous courses in a subject and have demonstrated the ability to achieve at a uniquely exemplary level.

This is usually a small percentage of seniors who are scheduled into a single section with others who share the same academic ability.

If the above is true, it would seem logical that the smaller schools would offer fewer AP classes due to the limited number of qualified students in a smaller student body. However, this is not always the case.

Next we will look at a local school to get actual data about Advanced Placement – what the Program of Studies offers, what courses are actually scheduled, the number of students enrolled, and the results of the AP exams.