<p>It is interesting to hear that some middle schools are offering high school biology to their 8th graders (since ours has made it clear this is impossible). </p>
<p>@californiaa, it sounds like your school is unusual in not offering the usual sequence of science classes in high school. The sequence really isn’t any problem in a school where kids can take 8 credits. My daughter took the usual sequence of bio, chem, physics. She doubled up physics with AP Chem as a junior and is now in AP bio and AP physics. She also took AP computer science and dual astronomy. So, I think with the exception of AP environmental science (which she wasn’t so interested in), she was able to take all the advanced science classes available at our school. This may be more of an issue at schools where kids take only 6 or 7 classes. However, I think when kids are taking fewer classes, it’s a lot easier to jump into AP classes without the usual year of that subject beforehand. I’ve seen several people mentioning on this site that they take AP bio or AP physics as a first course at their schools. On a 6 or 7 credit schedule, the teachers have more instructional time with the kids than on an 8 credit schedule, and the kids have fewer classes to juggle so can be expected to work somewhat harder.</p>