Advanced Academics Overview

  • The following information is taken directly from the BISD Advanced Academics webpage:
     
    Advanced Placement and Pre-Advanced Placement Programs
     
    Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP) Courses:
    • Prepare students for success on the state required academic curriculum
    • Help build student capacity to understand rigorous course content
    • Require advanced reading, writing, and problem solving
    • Provide foundational skills necessary for success in a college level course
    • Establish a pathway for the advanced academic option in subsequent courses
    • Require student and parent signatures acknowledging the expectations of committing to the level of work that meets the standards of the courses
     
    Advanced Placement (AP) Courses:
    • Designed to prepare students for success on College Board AP exams
    • Are rigorous, fast-paced, and require extensive reading and writing
    • May earn college credit with a qualifying score on the AP exam 
      • A score of 3 or higher for a college-level introductory course
      • Contact the institution of higher education to confirm AP credit policy
    • Provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory courses
    • Cover content that is required by the College Board in addition to state standards (TEKS)
    • Require sitting for the AP exam for every course in which the student is enrolled
    • Have the potential to result in substantial savings in college costs
    • Open to all students
    • Include increased reading from genres that are at a college level, sophisticated writing assignments, and projects or labs with complex problem solving
    • Require student and parent signatures acknowledging the expectations of committing to the level of work that meets the standards of the courses
     
    Advanced Placement and Pre-AP Letters of Commitment
     
    Please print, sign, and return to the school during the first week of school. ALL students who enroll in Pre-AP and/or AP courses MUST have ONE signed Letter of Commitment on file in the main office. Regardless of the number of Pre-AP or AP courses students take, students only need ONE letter of commitment. The Pre-AP and AP letters of commitment are different, so if a student is enrolled in both Pre-AP AND AP, he/she needs ONE Pre-AP and ONE AP letter on file. Please give the appropriate SIGNED letter to the first Pre-AP and/or AP teacher in your schedule. 
     
    If your student needs another copy of the AP or Pre-AP Letter of Commitment, please have your student ask his/her teacher for one.
    Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Announcement

    Attention Richland High School parents, community members, teachers and students:

    Richland is currently accepting referrals for the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Program for grades 6-12.  If you are interested in referring a student to this program, please complete the GATE Questionnaire for counselors, teachers, community members, and parents. Please return to Patricia Baumann, Academic Dean at Richland High School by Wednesday, October 11th. The GATE Nomination forms and questionnaire can be found at https://www.birdvilleschools.net/Page/45934

    The nomination process is the first step in getting a student assessed to see whether or not they are Gifted according to BISD protocol. Any student can be nominated regardless of grade level, language, background or disability. Please take time to click on the links below to get more information on Giftedness. 

     

    Common Characteristics of Gifted Individuals: National Association of Gifted Children

    >https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/my-child-gifted/common-characteristics-gifted-individuals

    Parental Resources for all: National Association of Gifted Children

    >http://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources-parents

    Stories from a teacher identifying a Gifted diverse student

    >https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-06-06/spotting-giftedness-her-students-becomes-lesson-inclusion-teacher

    Addressing ELs in Gifted and Special Education

    >http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/addressing-ells%E2%80%99-language-learning-and-special-education-needs-questions-and-considerations

    Gifted Children’s Challenges With Learning and Attention Issues

    >https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/building-on-strengths/gifted-childrens-challenges-with-learning-and-attention-issues