Jackson-Reed has decided to make an adjustment to the math curriculum. We’ve eliminated honors Precalc, and now only offer AP Precalc. I was one of the last few students able to take honors precalculus, and though I may not have been in AP Precalc, at least I got to pick.
The whole point of AP classes is that they’re catered to students who seek a more difficult course. By having the option of honors classes or AP classes, students who know they aren’t able to handle the more fast-paced difficult courses can take on-level classes. This not only allows students to learn on their level, but it also allows for extra intrigue on the transcripts of students who take APs, as it indicates to colleges which students search for a challenge.
By only having the option of an AP class for Precalculus, there’s nothing special about it anymore. Universities will know that everyone is required to take AP Precalc, and that everyone gets a GPA boost. Not only that, but it sets an unfair standard for colleges, that students at our school taking APs isn’t any different from a school that doesn’t offer APs at all. Our APs are just becoming the norm. For many students, the option to take AP classes versus regular courses can mean the difference between their future education decisions. Does a university want a student that’s choosing all the hard classes because they want to, or because that’s all you could do?
While AP Precalc is definitely better at preparing students for AP Calculus compared to similar honors classes, students should have the choice on how they would like to prepare. Jackson-Reed should allow students the flexibility to take either honors or AP Precalculus, as some students may want to be on a calculus path, but would be unable to keep up with the rigor of AP classes.
Jackson-Reed definitely provides a lot of help for students, and the math center and teachers give office hours, but at the end of the day, all students at our school should be able to pick the difficulty of their math class, just like we’re able to for English, history, and science.