Leveling Guidelines

LEVELING GUIDELINES

Students’ skills, abilities and achievement vary. Course levels are designed to maximize each student’s potential by presenting challenging course work at an appropriate level and pace. We expect each student to acquire knowledge and develop skills in courses that are appropriately rigorous and challenging. As part of the course selection process, teachers will make level recommendations for students in English, mathematics, science, social studies and world language classes. Parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to discuss level recommendations with your child’s teacher before requesting level changes.

HONORS H

Honors courses are accelerated and require above average past achievement, and/or high interest in the general subject area. Students must be able to work independently and to complete a considerable number of comprehensive assignments requiring advanced skills. Students should carefully consider taking these classes and should seek guidance from their parents, counselors and current teachers before finalizing their decision to elect any honors class.

COLLEGE PREP CP

College Prep classes are geared towards preparing the student for the expectations and level of rigor of a four-year college or university. Students should be able to solve problems, apply knowledge, use technology and present information effectively. A college prep student must be able to define, summarize and organize large bodies of knowledge, analyze problems and develop critical-thinking skills.

UNLEVELED

Most courses in the areas of physical/health education and fine and applied arts have no level designation. Many other departments also offer courses that are unleveled. As such, they do not count in the computation of class rank/grade point average. This is done purposely to encourage all students to take those courses based on their interests, talents, and career goals.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM

Starting in 2019-2020, all AP Students must register with the College Board in the Fall for each AP Exam they plan to take in the Spring. As such, payment for all AP Exams will be due in the Fall, and will be non-refundable. The family contribution for each AP Exam will be $40/exam.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses, available to juniors and seniors, are college-level classes. Extremely demanding and fast paced, AP classes require extensive homework. Students should seek guidance from their parents/guardians, counselors, and current teachers before finalizing their decision to elect any AP class. All students in Advanced Placement courses are required to take The College Board’s AP examination in the spring. Any student who does not take the AP exam at the conclusion of the course will receive Honors, not AP credit on their transcript.

Milton High School offers 21 Advanced Placement courses:

Biology English Language Microeconomics Statistics

Calculus AB English Literature Music Theory Studio Art

Calculus BC European History Physics 1 United State History

Chemistry French Language Physics 2

Computer Science Latin Psychology

Computer Science Principles Macroeconomics Spanish Language

Each student enrolled in an AP class, along with that parent/guardian is required to sign a contract describing the terms and conditions of enrollment in AP courses and affirming the fact that they will take the related AP exam administered by the College Board, in the current academic year. One contract per student is required and it must be submitted with student and parent/guardian signatures prior to the start of the course. Failure to do so will result in the student being dropped from the class immediately.

AP EXAM REQUIRED. Enrollment in an AP course requires the student to take the AP exam. If the student does not take the AP exam for the subject class, the class credit earned for satisfactory completion of the course will be reflected on the academic transcript as Honors level (rather than AP). Further, if a student does not take the required exam, they will pay to the Milton Public Schools any and all fees for each exam ordered and paid for by the Town of Milton. Currently, each exam costs $95.00 and there is an additional fee charged by the College Board for each AP exam not taken. (This fee is $40). A student, who is ill the day of the AP Exam, must call the AP Coordinator by 8 A.M. or no make-up exam will be ordered.

SUMMER HOMEWORK POLICY: 1.) Students are expected to complete assignments over summer break. Student grades will be adversely affected if the summer work is not complete. Summer work is assigned to all AP students at the mandatory AP information session held in May of the previous school year. Failure to complete summer work may result in student being dropped from the AP class 2.) If a student requests to be placed on a waitlist for an AP/Honors course, they are expected to complete all summer work in order to be prepared should a spot in a desired class become available. 3.) I understand that I am held accountable to complete required summer reading/writing assignments by the due date. 4.) I understand that I must attend the mandatory AP session in May/June of this year where summer work will be provided. If I have a conflict with the meeting time I will notify the teacher IN ADVANCE to obtain the necessary information and materials.

STUDENT WITHDRAWAL FROM AP COURSE. A student may withdraw from an AP course, without penalty, if withdrawal is submitted prior to the end of the 1st Term. Any student enrolled in an AP course, who withdraws from that course after that date, will receive a grade of W/F on his/her academic transcript. PLEASE NOTE: Procedure for withdrawing from an AP course follows the standard protocol for dropping a course at MHS. Student withdrawal may result in the inability to enroll in another replacement course of choice, as the general population has already completed their course registrations. In such situations, the student may be faced with a lower level of course credits being taken or other undesirable course schedule adjustments being required.

ACADEMIC CREDIT FOR AP COURSES. AP level credit will be granted to students who successfully complete the required coursework and who take the related AP exam. Any student who passes an AP class but does not take the AP exam for that class will receive Honors level credit for that class. No AP level credit will be granted to a student who does not take the related AP exam, who violates a College Board Exam Policy (i.e.: use of cell phone, etc.), or who cancels her/his score. In such instances, the course credit level reflected on the transcript will be listed as Honors rather than AP. If the student is a senior, his/her amended transcript will be resent to any college to which the student has applied.

Additional AP Policy and Procedure --Students are encouraged to attend after school and/or Saturday tutorial sessions if provided. --Only students enrolled in an authorized College Board AP course at Milton High School will receive AP credit on the academic transcript.