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Dear LHS Students and Families:
Dear LHS Students and Families:
Please visit this website for updates on 2026-2027 scheduling. You are encouraged to review the LHS 2026-2027 Course Guide prior to making course selections. It is equally important that you develop a well-rounded program that not only addresses academic rigor, but also enables you to have a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Your interests, current level of performance in the various subject areas and your teachers’ recommendations are the best predictors of your future success at the higher level. In your schedule decision-making process, please think about your current involvement with outside organizations and possible time commitments for LHS sports and co-curricular activities you may join.
Please visit this website for updates on 2026-2027 scheduling. You are encouraged to review the LHS 2026-2027 Course Guide prior to making course selections. It is equally important that you develop a well-rounded program that not only addresses academic rigor, but also enables you to have a balanced, healthy lifestyle. Your interests, current level of performance in the various subject areas and your teachers’ recommendations are the best predictors of your future success at the higher level. In your schedule decision-making process, please think about your current involvement with outside organizations and possible time commitments for LHS sports and co-curricular activities you may join.
Scheduling Information
Many core courses are offered through Livingston High School on different ability levels: General, College Preparatory, Honors, and Advanced Placement. It is important for students to consider their interests, abilities, and time constraints when selecting a course schedule and especially a course level. One Honors or AP course might work with a rigorous sports schedule, but three AP courses might negatively impact a student’s life. Remember that courses should be selected based on individual abilities and needs.
General classes are based on the recommendation of the Child Study Team for students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). These courses are designed to accommodate various learning needs and differences. Specialized instruction is an imperative within these classes, helping students to achieve their individualized goals and objectives while providing instruction that targets the curricular standards for the subject.
College Preparatory (CP) courses are an investigation into core concepts and skills to further knowledge in a course sequence/content area. CP courses are designed to challenge students to make connections and find solutions while providing a structured and supportive environment for learning. The focus is on building proficiency through guided practice, structured activities and scaffolded learning at a steady pace of instruction.
CP courses involve ensuring that students develop a strong understanding of fundamental concepts before progressing to more complex material.
Provide a structured learning environment with clear expectations, organization, and support.
CP courses will emphasize active participation and engagement with the material.
In CP courses, students are expected to:
Actively participate in class discussions.
Work independently as well as in group settings with guidance and direction.
Demonstrate proficiency in the material through regular assessments and assignments.
Complete work on time and accurately, with a focus on mastering core content.
Seek help when necessary, whether through teacher support, peer tutoring and/or additional building resources and demonstrate initiative in understanding material that is challenging.
Show persistence and responsibility when facing challenges, ensuring that students can use feedback for improvement.
Work effectively with peers during group activities, ensuring that collaborative efforts help reinforce individual understanding of the subject matter.
Follow directions and complete tasks with accuracy, though with a focus on mastering basic and intermediate concepts rather than advanced applications.
Honors Level (H) courses serve as an advanced level of study that build upon foundational knowledge, increase the pace and depth of learning, and foster the skills necessary for success in more challenging coursework.
Honors Courses have a faster pace than CP courses and cover content with increased depth and complexity.
A prerequisite for consideration in Honors courses is a high grade (typically an A or B+) in the previous or current related course as that demonstrates proficiency.
In Honors courses, students are expected to fulfill all of the expectations in a CP class as noted above and also:
Make higher-level connections in their work using the material presented in class.
Demonstrate a strong work ethic, be organized, and be able to follow multi-step directions.
Actively participate in class discussions.
Complete the majority of work on time and accurately.
Work well independently as well as collaboratively in group settings.
Actively seek help and self-advocate if they have questions, concerns or have been absent.
Show resilience when they encounter challenges. This often includes the ability to seek and implement feedback on their work.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses represent the highest level of academic rigor offered, are designed to prepare students for college-level work and potentially earn college credit. They typically require a strong foundation, exceptional skills, a high degree of independence, as well as a significant commitment to learning. AP courses are based on a scope and sequence from The College Board and are designed to be a college-level curriculum with rigorous expectations.
In AP courses, students are expected to fulfill all of the expectations in CP and Honors classes as noted above and also:
Engage in self-directed learning utilizing a strong understanding of foundational concepts. A strong work ethic and dedication to putting in the necessary effort are crucial. This is supported by the expectation that students are hardworking and possess excellent time-management skills. A high level of self-discipline and focus is also expected.
Manage a rapid instructional pace with depth, complexity, and expectations that exceed Honors classes.
Meet the following prerequisites:
Having earned high grades (typically an A) and performed well on challenging assignments in the previous or current related course;
Demonstrating mastery of prerequisite skills and an ability to apply new learning concepts independently;
Exercise creativity, insightful questioning and flexible thinking. The AP curriculum emphasizes critical thinking skills and requires students to apply systematic problem-solving approaches to their work.
Students should be self-motivated and take initiative in academic settings.
Students should demonstrate the ability to persevere through challenges and show resilience when facing difficulties.
Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, are needed for student success.
Strong organizational skills are necessary to manage coursework, deadlines, and notes.
Students are expected to be proactive in seeking help and clarification and ready to seek help when needed. They should also be able to reflect on and revise previous work and seek and implement feedback independently.
Open Access
Livingston High School is committed to providing all students with access to curriculum and courses. Encouraging students to enroll in challenging courses provides the opportunity for students to raise their achievement levels, ensure postsecondary success, and career readiness.
Classes are offered at various levels of difficulty. Students are supported in taking rigorous courses at the Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) level in areas where they have interest or career aspirations. Past performance, student success and teacher recommendation in a subject area are key indicators of future success.
LHS offers open access for all students to take Honors and AP courses. These courses follow a rigorous curriculum extension of the college preparatory course and often require higher levels of workload, including extensive independent study by the students.
Teachers and Child Study Members make recommendations from required applications to guide students to select the most appropriate program and course level. In considering these recommendations, students and parents are encouraged to select an appropriate course load that balances curriculum demands with a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle. Special Education students are eligible for open access to take Honors and AP courses.
Additionally:
Recommendations are made in “silos” - that is, teachers in one department are likely not aware of recommendations made in another department; we encourage you to meet with your school counselor and make good, balanced decisions.
There are opportunities to understand the rigor and pacing of courses.
While some summer assignments serve as a review, most can be a good indication of the level, rigor, and pacing of a course. We encourage students who question a decision to complete the assignment early in the summer to make schedule changes if necessary, should space be available.
Course preview information and materials offer examples of reading levels, assignments, and course expectations. These resources are available on the “Course Preview Day Website.”
Open Access is designed to create opportunities for students to challenge themselves in areas of interest. It is not meant to create “course sampling.” By selecting a course against a teacher’s recommendation, students are expected to commit themselves to the coursework. If an AP and/or Honors course is selected against the Child Study Team recommendation as set forth in a student’s IEP, parents/student must request an IEP meeting to discuss revisions to the IEP. In the event of a disagreement between the parents/student and the Child Study Team, the parents and/or student retain the right to request mediation or a due process hearing regarding the related services, accommodations and/or modifications that are proposed by the Child Study Team in the Honors or AP course. In addition to teacher recommendations, school counselors are available to assist and support students and parents throughout the scheduling process. Students are encouraged to visit classes of interest during Course Preview Day (and visit the course overview screencasts available online) and communicate with their teachers, school counselors and/or case managers about recommendations, as well as with their parent(s) in preparation of selecting their courses with their school counselor.
Parents and students should consider every Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors course selection carefully, including the staff recommendations, to ensure success and avoid dramatic schedule changes. Students are expected to maintain the pace of an Honors or an AP course throughout the year. Communication will be prioritized for students who earn a grade of a C- or below at the end of the first quarter to include teachers, school counselors, case managers and/or administrators meeting with students and families to assist individuals in making good decisions and determining a plan for moving forward in the school year. In specific cases, administrative discretion will be used as necessary, including decisions regarding future scheduling plans. Students choosing to drop the course during the last schedule change window, will have a Withdraw, “W,” noted on their transcript for the dropped class.
Due to building and teacher limitations, we cannot guarantee that should a student decide to change a level, a space in the lower level will be available. It is important to recognize that a student may very well be placed in a study hall if a class is dropped.
If a student moves to a lower level during the school year (during Schedule Change Windows 2, 3 or 4), they may not self-select into the higher level the following year without administration approval. As a reminder, Schedule Change Window 1 is the summer schedule change request window.
A student is only allowed to self-select into the next higher-level course of a content area annually without administrative approval.
Examples
Biology CP → Chemistry H
US History 1 H → AP US History
Please know that during the school year, school administrators will work with families and school counselors and use their discretion to change a student’s course level based on academic performance or other circumstances.
Please contact your child's school counselor with any questions about these parameters.
Course Availability
Students should consider additional/alternate course options during their scheduling process if a course may not be offered or fit into their schedule. For many reasons, a course may not be offered during a given school year (see below). Conversely, student schedules and/or graduation requirements may also impact whether or not a student can enroll in a given course.
Class size limits. Limits are established to provide optimal educational opportunities for students, and the district makes every attempt to adhere to these limits.
Low enrollment.
Budgetary constraints.
In order to provide the broadest program possible to meet students’ individual needs, a wide selection of electives is available in all subject areas. Most of these courses are offered on a full-year basis; however, there are also semester course offerings. For information regarding level changes, please see the Schedule Change Procedures section of the LHS Course Guide.
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