Honors Students Raise the Bar in 'Regular' Courses

By Jay Mathews
Thursday, March 2, 2006

Dear Extra Credit:

I taught at West Potomac High School from its inception in 1985 until my retirement in June 2004. I previously taught at Groveton High School and at Fort Hunt High School (my alma mater).

I doubt that the discussion concerning Advanced Placement, honors and regular classes is unique to West Potomac High School.

One of the ironies of my teaching experience is that, though I never chose to teach AP courses, I often faced students and parents who thought my "regular" U.S. and Virginia history and government classes were too challenging. I often faced an administration and guidance staff that would let students transfer into another teacher's class, one that was not as demanding.

As you know, there is a great variance within departments about how much work is required to be successful.

I think Ms. Palma [a West Potomac student who objected to the discontinuation of the honors class option] misses the point of a free public education when she says, "Some of us are not ready for college work. We need to have our extracurricular and after-school jobs" [Fairfax Extra, Feb. 9].

Critical thinking skills and the development of those skills in a social studies class are skills that will benefit a student well after high school. The presence of so many honors students in a regular course should raise the bar for all the students. As you and I both know, high standards and expectations bode well for the entire instructional program.

Part of the dilemma for West Potomac might be the lack of stability in the social studies department. Nine of 16 department members left following the school year that ended in 2004. Only two were the result of 30-year retirements.

Neil Robinson

Annandale

I appreciate hearing from a professional who can help me understand better what distinguishes regular, honors and AP or IB courses, and what students would lose if there were no more honors courses. Can any teachers tell me if there are established standards for demands at the regular and honors level, or is it, as Robinson's story indicates, up to the teacher?

Dear Extra Credit:

OK, I'll bite, as the parent of a 16-year-old junior, I have a number of questions about AP and post-AP courses.

Do all institutions of higher learning accept AP courses?

What about post-AP courses?

Which ones do? Which ones do not? Why? What strings are attached? Do AP courses reduce the number of courses required for a degree?

After Gov. Mark Warner extolled the virtues of the AP system, why do Fairfax County Schools continue to start so late? Why are AP teachers and students forced to streak through the material?

Brenda Mandes

Vienna

Thomas Jefferson High School

for Science and Technology

parent

These are excellent questions and many have no set answers. Each department in each college usually decides how much credit it will give for AP or International Baccalaureate courses and tests. The system is confusing, but usually works out for the students. Here is why:

Almost all accept AP or IB credits, and those that do not will often allow the student to take a second-level course if the first-level course would be a repetitive bore. It is the same with post-AP courses. If your kid has mastered the material, and can show that, the same course will not be required.

In most cases doing well in AP or IB courses will reduce the number of courses required for a college degree.

Some students have enough AP or IB credits to start college as sophomores. But some schools, although advancing the AP or IB students to the next level, will not grant a degree with less than a four-year load at that institution. Such barriers, however, are often overcome.

This column has examined the issue of the post-Labor Day start to the Virginia school year many times.

The schedule is unlikely to change soon.

Please send your questions, along with your name, e-mail or postal address and telephone number to Extra Credit, The Washington Post, 526 King St., Suite 515, Alexandria, Va. 22314. Or e-mailextracredit@washpost.com.