Pre-AP Program

The Pre-AP Program is a program offered to schools by College Board. The program offers 11 Pre-AP courses in five disciplines: English, math, science, history, and the arts. Pre-AP courses deliver grade-level appropriate instruction through focused course frameworks, instructional resources, learning checkpoints, and collaborative educator workshops. Participating schools receive an official Pre-AP designation for each course. This designation signals consistent, high standards in focused courses that help build, strengthen, and reinforce students’ content knowledge and critical thinking skills. Currently, Baker offers Pre-AP English 9, Pre- AP English 10, Pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP Geometry with Statistics, Pre-AP Theatre, Pre-AP Dance, and Pre-AP Visual Arts. 

So these are honors or advanced courses?

No. These are on-grade-level courses designed for all students.

Why are the courses called “Pre-AP” then? Not every student is on track to take AP.

Every student should be prepared for college-level work. The skills and knowledge they’ll learn in Pre-AP courses will help them through high school—whether they take AP courses or not—and after graduation in college and career. We require schools that offer Pre-AP courses to confirm that they will offer them to all students.

What makes Pre-AP courses different from other courses?

Pre-AP courses focus on the most important content and skills that students need to learn in the course. The courses devote more time to fewer concepts so that students have time for deep learning. And all Pre-AP courses, no matter what the subject, ask students to do these things:

• observe closely before starting to explain, analyze, or solve
• respond to questions that challenge them to think critically
• take part in discussions with their peers to learn more about a topic
• write using evidence from sources, texts, and observations, and so on

Building these skills will help students succeed through high school and beyond.

Will Pre-AP courses prepare my child for the state tests he or she has to take?

Your child’s school will continue to teach the topics and skills that your state standards require. Pre-AP isn’t a program that replaces your school’s curriculum. Pre-AP provides a framework for each course—a blueprint for instruction that schools and teachers can use with various instructional materials. The program also provides other classroom resources—assessments and model lessons— and professional development for teachers and leaders.

Does my child have to do anything special to prepare for Pre-AP courses?

There’s just one action your child has to take to enroll in their Pre-AP course(s). They need to create an online College Board student account (if they don’t already have one) at preap.org/register. This account will let them sign into Pre-AP Classroom, where they’ll join their class section and find class resources. It’s a good idea for them to get familiar with the platform early in the school year.