Texas parents help me out

Austinhills
Mon, 25 May 2009 22:39:02 +0000

181818, are you advocating the position that preAP classes should be weighted, or trying to figure out what you think is best for your school district (weighted vs nonweighted preAP classes)?

If you are advocating for weighted preAP classes, I would make the argument that more kids would take preAP classes if they are weighted, which would presumably better prepare those kids for AP classes and AP tests. Not only is this “AP success” good for the students, but it’s also good for the high school if your super cares about bragging rights or the school’s rank (in Newsweek’s top 100 high schools, for example).

Your super probably also has a list of similar-caliber high schools or districts that he watches and compares policies with. If you know what those are, find out what their preAP policies are.

I believe some of the best high schools in Texas are Highland Park in the Dallas area, Westlake in the Austin area, Alamo Heights in the San Antonio area and I-don’t-know-what in the Houston area. Westlake DOES give weight to preAP classes, and I think many students who want/need an extra challenge would balk at the idea of not being rewarded with a GPA boost for taking a more challenging courseload. And I think that would eventually hurt them when it comes time for college admissions.