LIBRARY OF STRATEGIES
Add advanced course offerings
Root Cause: Advanced course options are either missing or insufficient
Area of Opportunity: Course Offerings
Lever of Change: Advanced Coursework
SCENARIO
Your school has a high graduation rate with many students enrolling in college, but most haven’t taken an AP course. After reviewing the AP Potential reports from the PSAT, you find that half of your tenth graders have the potential to succeed in AP Psychology. By adding AP Psychology to the course catalog and directly inviting these students to register, you see a significant increase in enrollment in this new dual credit course.
Strategy overview
Taking action based on your data to increase access to advanced coursework might seem challenging, but even adding one or two new courses each year can give more students the experience they need to graduate ready for post-secondary education. The most transferable dual credit courses are those tied to internationally recognized exams like AP, IB, and AICE, as they are designed with college readiness in mind and are widely accepted for credit at post-secondary institutions.
Another dual credit option involves partnerships with postsecondary institutions that award credit upon course completion. While your school might not add a dual enrollment course, you can set a goal to guide students toward this pathway. These courses often guarantee credit if students pass. However, since you won’t employ the teacher or oversee the curriculum, it’s essential to work closely with the postsecondary institution to ensure the course aligns with your standards and maintains the necessary rigor.
When do this
When designing the course catalog and registration materials for the upcoming school year, it’s important to ensure they clearly outline available options and guide students toward appropriate courses.
Implementation considerations
Use Data to Select New Courses
Identify accessible courses that offer meaningful preparation for college by analyzing available data. Some AP social studies courses, like Human Geography or Economics, have fewer content standards, making them ideal for introducing younger students to advanced coursework with more support from teachers. If students take the PSAT in grades 8-10, use AP Potential reports from the College Board to pinpoint where students have a strong likelihood of success.
Analyze Course Intensity
Use Abl Analytics to find areas with low course intensity or opportunities to add more challenging courses in specific grades.
Plan Professional Development
Ensure teachers are prepared to teach new courses with a year-long professional development plan. Many programs offer grants for training, especially for schools with higher percentages of free and reduced lunch students.
Build a Course Pathway
Develop a long-term plan to prepare students for advanced courses. Backward planning and aligning curriculum are key to ensuring students are ready for these opportunities.
Strengthen Dual Enrollment Partnerships
Enhance your relationships with postsecondary institutions offering dual credit. Strong partnerships help ensure course alignment, rigor, and student support.
Additional resources
RESEARCH
Studying the Relationship Between the Number of AP’s, AP Performance, and College Outcomes 🔗
Research shows that the greatest boost in first-year college grades and on-time bachelor’s degree attainment occurs when students increase their AP participation from zero to one AP exam, and from one to two AP exams. Taking more than four to six AP exams doesn’t significantly impact these outcomes after controlling for achievement, demographics, and other factors.
RESEARCH
This study confirms a positive relationship between taking high-rigor courses in high school and success in college, even when accounting for student demographics like gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
RESEARCH
The Role of Advanced Placement in Bridging Excellence Gaps 🔗
This research brief explores how AP courses help disadvantaged students achieve high academic success. The study draws on data from multiple sources, including the College Board and the National Center for Education Statistics, and includes literature reviews, interviews, and site visits.
