Administrative Regulation

AR 6141.5

Instruction

Honors, Advanced Placement, And Accelerated Level Courses

Terms Defined

For the purposes of BP 6141.5 and this regulation, the following definitions shall prevail:

1. Honors Courses - Grades 9-12 - Intensive high school instruction, beyond the regular program's level of instruction, with an emphasis on inquiry, discovery, individual study, and in-depth discussion.

2. Advanced Placement Courses - Grades 10- 12 ~ College-level instruction culminating with a national examination in May in the subject area. The College Board develops the course of study and prepares the examination for all Advanced Placement classes. Advanced placement courses may earn a student college/university credit, providing:

a. The student receives a passing grade on the subject area examination, and

b. The student's college of choice will grant credit

3. Accelerated Courses - Grades 6-8 - Intermediate school grade-level instruction, beyond the regular program's level of instruction, with an emphasis on increased rate and depth inquiry of instruction, discovery, individual study, and in-depth discussion.

4. Accelerated Level Elective Courses - Grades 9-12 ~ Elective courses with prerequisite levels of advanced skills/knowledge (i.e., Advanced Orchestra). The district calculates the grades for some of these courses as weighted grades. These courses meet University of California admission requirements, but the University of California does not apply honors (weighted grades) formula to these courses.

Placement Procedures

1 The basis for placement shall be the criteria set forth in BP 6141.5

2. Placement of students in such classes shall be determined by one or more of the following criteria:

a. Teacher recommendation; the strongest predictor of success

b. Grade of "B" or better in a prerequisite course 15

c. A qualifying score on a placement test in the subject or standardized testing (i.e., Stanford 9),

d. Student's potential for success in the course as evidenced by high motivation

e. Counselor and/or principal may determine placement

f. A parent's/ student's written request (on a space -available basis, only) for courses for which there is no placement test

Parent/student requests for placement, which are exceptions to the stated placement criteria, shall be initiated in writing by the student and/or parent/guardian and shall be submitted to the principal or designee. A conference with the student and parent/guardian shall be held to review the request. If the request is granted, the student and parent/guardian shall be required to sign a waiver indicating that placement is probationary and dependent upon student success and performance.

Grading Practices in Honors (H) Advanced Placement (AP). and Accelerated Courses

Grading practices in Honors (H), Advanced Placement (AP), and Accelerated courses shall be carefully administered to reflect the following guidelines:

1. Grades earned by students in Honors, Advanced Placement, and Accelerated courses are expected to be consistently at the 'W' or "B" levels. Parents/guardians of students who are not performing at the A or B level shall be notified by the counseling office prior to the end of the first six weeks of the semester.

2. A student may request a transfer from an Honors or AP class to a regular section of the same subject even when such action is not recommended by the teacher or counselor on the basis of educational advisability. Such requests will be honored, however, only after a conference with the parent/guardian. Such a transfer must take place within the established time line for making a level change.

3. Grades in Honors and Advanced Placement classes are "weighted" if the grade is a "C" or above. The "weighting" means that an 'W is worth five points; a "B," four points; a "C," three points. There is a limit of five weighted courses per semester.

Regulation PALOS VERDES PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

approved: May 24, 2001 Palo Verdes Estates, California