Why Advanced Placement?

Regarding who should and shouldn't be allowed to take AP courses, or even advanced courses in high school. Here's my take.

I don't tell any kid they can't take an advanced course. I've had kids take AP Calculus concurrently with Pre-Cal, but let them know they're going to have to learn some things outside of class before their Pre-Cal class is going to get to them. I've taken kids who failed my College Algebra or Pre-Calculus courses. One year I had a kid who failed my College Algebra class as a junior take my Pre-Calculus, AP Statistics, and AP Calculus classes all at the same time. He passed Pre-Cal with a C or a D, failed both AP Stat and AP Cal, but scored 2s on both AP Exams. He had the ability to do so much better, but just would not do any work at all. Everything he learned, he learned in class. It would have been easy to keep that kid out of my AP classes, maybe even out of my Pre-Cal class too, based on his grade in College Algebra. But I chose to let him take the courses, with an early talk on the rigor and expectations of those courses. Keeping him out would have improved my kids' average score, would have improved my pass rate. But it would have stuck him three classes where he wouldn't have learned enough to score those 2s on two AP exams. I understand some administrators and some districts look at the scores and pass rates without context. Some think any "good" teacher can get kids to score well on the AP Exam. Some administrators might even switch teachers if their kids don't score "well enough" on the AP Exam. My kids' scores have been pretty good the past couple of years, but some years they haven't looked that great when all you consider is the raw numbers.

Like the first year we offered my AP Statistics course as a concurrent credit, my scores tanked. Higher percentage of 1s than I'd ever had. The next year was the Covid shutdown. Again, super high percentage of 1s. Do those poor scores mean the kids weren't well-served by taking the course? I'd argue they don't. One year I had a kid who failed a previous math course with me, but took my AP Statistics and AP Calculus class at the same time after that. That kid earned 2s on both exams. Had way more ability that was ever shown in any of my classes, but would not do work outside of class. Still, that kid learned enough to score 2s on both exams.

Today, in a Facebook group for AP teachers, I was arguing in support of allowing any student who wants to to take an AP course. I was challenged by another teacher claiming that permissive enrollment policies such as I was advocating result in students with Ds and Fs, upsetting and stressful to parents, admin, and counselors. I'd argue the course can be set up so that the vast majority can earn a passing grade. Not necessarily an A, but passing if they're willing to work hard and try. I know the vast majority of high school students won't be able to score a 3, 4, or 5 on AP exams. Still, I advocate for all who want to to be allowed to enroll in an AP class.

Sorry. Not sorry. I don't do this to serve admin and counselors, but to serve students. I advocate for kids to be allowed to take AP courses because I believe they offer the rigor and character-building challenge too many kids miss out on in their K-12 career. Like a kid I had years ago in AP Stat who scored a 2 on the exam. The next year he emailed me to let me know he was the only student in his Statistics for Psychology class that understood when the professor taught them about confidence intervals, or like the kid who told me he was able to explain how a chi-square test works to other students in his biology class.

I advocate for all kids to be able to take an AP course if they want to, knowing that such a policy will reduce the average exam scores. The crazy thing that most people don't realize, including a bunch of AP teachers around the country, is that the scores aren't MY scores. Every individual student has his or her own individual score. For one student, a 2 might be a fabulous score. For another, anything less than a 5 unacceptable. I want every student who takes my class to reach his/her potential. If that's a 1, that's okay with me. There are teachers, students, and administrators who don't recognize the confounding variables that influence an AP score. So many factors go into shaping a kid before s/he gets to us, and even while they're in our class. Some are well-prepared, others not. Some come with unimaginable psychological or emotional baggage. Some have health conditions that interfere with their educational experience. So many things could account for the difference between a 4 and a 5, a 2 or a 3, or even a 1 and a 5. For some, math just may not be their strong student. They might try their hardest and still not understand enough to score a 3 or higher.

But at least they will have been challenged with a rigorous curriculum. At least they will have been challenged, maybe even knocked down, and survived. In the end, they will be stronger and better prepared for future challenges in whatever path they choose.

I wish we could get them all to enroll in at least one AP course, because I believe that much in the AP program. I've spent most of my career trying to build AP programs. It's been an ebb and flow process, due to a variety of factors. But I still believe it's a great way to help kids recognize and reach their potential. And a wonderful side effect is that expanding AP programs improve the academic performance of schools.