AP Language

[Anonymous]

When I was in high school, the STEM-type kids took AP Language in 12th grade and the others took AP Lit. AP Language had a reputation as slightly easier but both were offered only to 12th graders.

I was surprised to see that AP Language is only offered to 11th graders at DD’s FCPS school. What kind of “college level” class is not open to 12th graders? It seems now like another fake AP, like Precalc. IMO, to be an AP class, you can limit lower grades from taking it, but it should be open to both 11th and 12th graders.

My DD is just starting 10th but do others have insight on this? The original plan was for her to take AP Language in 12th grade. Now, it seems she may need to take two AP English classes, which is not what she wants to do.

[Anonymous]

It’s not the school, it’s FCPS. There are plenty of other English options, including DE, which tends to be easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not the school, it’s FCPS. There are plenty of other English options, including DE, which tends to be easier.

Agree, but why is ANY AP class limited to underclassmen? That sounds so strange to me! I know my kid will not like AP Lit but also wants to take the most rigorous courses offered. We will deal but it’s either a college level class or it’s not.

[Anonymous]

AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

Four APs would be a light load. I am guessing my kid will end up with at least 10.

[Anonymous]

AP Lit in 11th, AP Lang in 12th. Pretty standard these days. We took Ap Eng 3 and AP Eng 4 back in the day. I had five APs in both jr and sr years in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

Four APs would be a light load. I am guessing my kid will end up with at least 10.

Not PP but she said 4 APs in 1 year. I doubt your kid is taking 10 in one year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

+1
I went to what was viewed as probably the best public school district in the area where I grew up. Graduated HS in mid-90s. We offered no AP classes. Highest track of kids made it to Calc and Science 2.0 (e.g. Physics II, Bio II) by senior year. I think the whole AP craze nowadays is insanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

It's always kind of been honors+. 30 years ago, the honors kids took honors english in 9th and 10th grade, and then AP Lang and Lit in 11th and 12th. There was no Honors english class for 11th and 12th. You either took AP or regular. This isn't and has never been uncommon. We also didn't have honors-but-not-AP US history or US government. You either took AP or regular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

It's always kind of been honors+. 30 years ago, the honors kids took honors english in 9th and 10th grade, and then AP Lang and Lit in 11th and 12th. There was no Honors english class for 11th and 12th. You either took AP or regular. This isn't and has never been uncommon. We also didn't have honors-but-not-AP US history or US government. You either took AP or regular.

30 years ago in FCPS - we did have AP Gov and AP US History; we didn't have AP World. AP Calc BC/AB and Linear Algebra/Calc III via GMU. I was in Herndon High, so it's not special like TJ or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

It's always kind of been honors+. 30 years ago, the honors kids took honors english in 9th and 10th grade, and then AP Lang and Lit in 11th and 12th. There was no Honors english class for 11th and 12th. You either took AP or regular. This isn't and has never been uncommon. We also didn't have honors-but-not-AP US history or US government. You either took AP or regular.

30 years ago in FCPS - we did have AP Gov and AP US History; we didn't have AP World. AP Calc BC/AB and Linear Algebra/Calc III via GMU. I was in Herndon High, so it's not special like TJ or something.

Forgot to mention and GT which was renamed to Honors.

[Anonymous]

30 years ago my high school offered 4 years of AP history. World in 9th, euro in 10th, US in 11th, and a semester long AP gov senior year.

It’s not new to offer AP to underclassmen, it just depends on the state/district standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:30 years ago my high school offered 4 years of AP history. World in 9th, euro in 10th, US in 11th, and a semester long AP gov senior year.

It’s not new to offer AP to underclassmen, it just depends on the state/district standards.

JK, 20 years ago…man, I can count.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AP language covers the 11th grade English standards, just at a college level. A student who has taken 11th grade English and AP Lang hasn’t covered the 12th grade standards.

I am in MD, so the sequence for other subjects is different, but in MD US Government is a 10th grade course. If you take AP Gov in 10th you can substitute it. You can take it in 12th, but in that case you also needed to take regular or honors Gov in 10th.

Thanks for explaining it this way. This makes sense. But it also sounds like AP has just become honors+, like another level. It used to be that taking an AP class was a big deal. I am still wrapping my head around this evolution, but what you’re saying makes sense in that context. If someone had taken 4+ APs in one year when we were kids, that would have been insane, at least in the schools I’m familiar with. Sounds like it happens regularly now.

Most APs have been watered down post pandemic. With SAT facing existential threat that it primarily benefits high-achieving students and under pressure to promote diversity, the College Board wanted to avoid similar attacks on AP program at large and quickly lowered the bar on AP exams to increase the number of passing scores, and broaden the demographics.

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/heres-why-more-students-have-passed-ap-exams-in-recent-years/2024/08#:~:text=Between%202022%20and%20this%20spring,college%20credit%20in%20nine%20subjects.