Honors classes vs regular classes in high schools

[Anonymous]

I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not being snarky but I thought like 80 percent of the population takes honors now and regular classes are really like special ed. My kids are in private but I attended MCPS many moons ago.

This is what I'm looking for...straight talk. Is this still the case today? Does the average A/B student take "honors" everything?

What the PP said is absolutely true in our local high school (which is not considered one of the 'desirable' schools here on DCUM). You want your kids to be in the highest level classes offered (be that AP, IB, or honors), in order for them to be around kids who are college-bound and trying to do their very best and apart from the ones with discipline issues. Of course, it makes a huge difference in weighted GPA and on college apps, where they want to see that kids took a challenging course load.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

No, it makes AP AP.

Plus, of course, at the W schools, everybody is above average.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

No, it makes AP AP.

Plus, of course, at the W schools, everybody is above average.

I think that's just the rep and particularly hard for those W. students who
don't fit the stereotypical profile. It's hard to come from modest income parents and be an on grade
level kid and our school has many of those kids too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

No, it makes AP AP.

Plus, of course, at the W schools, everybody is above average.

I think that's just the rep and particularly hard for those W. students who
don't fit the stereotypical profile. It's hard to come from modest income parents and be an on grade
level kid and our school has many of those kids too.

Yes, I agree, PP, and I apologize. DCUM needs a "snark" emoticon.

(But I'm sincere about AP being AP.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

No, it makes AP AP.

Plus, of course, at the W schools, everybody is above average.

I think that's just the rep and particularly hard for those W. students who
don't fit the stereotypical profile. It's hard to come from modest income parents and be an on grade
level kid and our school has many of those kids too.

Yes, I agree, PP, and I apologize. DCUM needs a "snark" emoticon.

(But I'm sincere about AP being AP.)

No worries. We all have our snark moments.

My child had a friend from outside of the W. come to visit her.
She walked in our house (which is lovely but will not be in any magazine)
and commented -- this can't be (city). The homes in (city) are supposed
to be mansions!

[Anonymous]

So..9th graders are taking AP History at your W school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So..9th graders are taking AP History at your W school?

Not the person you're replying to, but yes, at my W school there has been (for the last few years) <=2 full classes of 9th grade AP US History classes.

They also eliminated Regular US History here so it's possible we're talking about the same school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So..9th graders are taking AP History at your W school?

Not the person you're replying to, but yes, at my W school there has been (for the last few years) <=2 full classes of 9th grade AP US History classes.

They also eliminated Regular US History here so it's possible we're talking about the same school.

Sounds like Churchill. BTW, there are three full classes of 9th grade AP US History there.

[Anonymous]

Are 9th graders allowed any other AP classes? Do they go straight to AP Bio too?

[Anonymous]

Whitman university I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

huh?

AP and IB have strict guidelines to follow - especially IB, as their external assessments can be scored outside of the US.

So even if you dumb down AP or IB and kids who would normally earn a D are receiving Cs and low Bs, the exams will show their TRUE understanding of the content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

No, it makes AP AP.

Plus, of course, at the W schools, everybody is above average.

I think that's just the rep and particularly hard for those W. students who
don't fit the stereotypical profile. It's hard to come from modest income parents and be an on grade
level kid and our school has many of those kids too.

Yes, I agree, PP, and I apologize. DCUM needs a "snark" emoticon.

(But I'm sincere about AP being AP.)

No worries. We all have our snark moments.

My child had a friend from outside of the W. come to visit her.
She walked in our house (which is lovely but will not be in any magazine)
and commented -- this can't be (city). The homes in (city) are supposed
to be mansions!

You just lost points with your comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the issue is that when there are only 2 levels, it is more like regular and low then honors and regular...since there is no such thing as remedial anymore.

Our W school offers Honors US History and AP US History. No on-level. That makes Honors on level and AP advanced or Honors as remedial and AP as on-grade level?

huh?

AP and IB have strict guidelines to follow - especially IB, as their external assessments can be scored outside of the US.

So even if you dumb down AP or IB and kids who would normally earn a D are receiving Cs and low Bs, the exams will show their TRUE understanding of the content.

Interestingly enough, at Churchill most of the 9th graders taking AP US History get a 5. 4s are uncommon, 3s are rare, and usually one kid, at most, fails.

So for the most part the class does do a good job.