Add a Post-Secondary Preparatory Course

Adding a new accelerated course with the intent to expand access for students to postsecondary preparatory coursework. These dual credit courses come in two main forms. The most portable dual credit coursework is AP, IB, and AICE; because these courses have internationally recognized exams, it allows students to have tremendous portability. The exams also provide internal feedback on alignment and instruction, but the downside is some students may not receive credit. The other type of dual credit courses are direct relationships with postsecondary institutions that award credit upon completion of the course. These courses are not as portable but provide guaranteed credit; one key consideration is to ensure that the credit is aligned to meaningful coursework and are transferable. 

When To Do This: Before creating the course catalog and student registration.

Implementation Considerations: 

• Use your Abl Analytics: Look for low levels of overall course intensity or opportunities to add course intensity in a particular grade.

• Build a pipeline: It may take multiple years to build a pipeline of students ready for these courses. Backward planning and curriculum alignment are critical steps to ensure students are ready to benefit from these courses. 

Use data to select new courses:  Some courses are easier and more accessible than others. Use available data to help identify courses that are accessible and provide students with meaningful postsecondary preparatory experiences.

Example: 

• AP/IB/AICE Courses

• Dual Credit Courses

• College in the High School