| Options for RIGOROUS curriculum in Pinellas County |
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Advanced courses in middle school are offered to all students who have the desire to take a more rigorous course load. These courses go more in depth into the curriculum, and challenge students to reach their full potential. Contact your school guidance counselor for more information.
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Honors courses are advanced high school courses that include a greater range and depth of subject matter, with an emphasis on higher level critical thinking skills. Honors courses are primarily offered in high school, but some honors courses are offered for acceleration in middle school. Honors courses in middle school carry high school credit (Algebra I Honors). Honors courses carry a quality point, meaning that when calculating GPA an honors course gives the student a higher GPA value than a regular course.
Honors..............Regular
A = 5.0...............A = 4.0
B = 4.0...............B = 3.0
C = 3.0...............C = 2.0
D = 1.0...............D = 1.0
F = 0.0................F = 0.0
Other high school accelerated courses includeing Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Dual Enrollment also carry a GPA Quality Point.
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Advanced Placement (AP) are rigorous college level courses offered at high school through the College Board’s Advanced Placement program. All Pinellas County high schools offer a range of AP courses. Advanced Placement teachers submit a syllabus to the College Board, which is reviewed and approved by college professors, insure the course is of comparable content and rigor to an introductory college course. All students in Pinellas County Schools that take an AP course will also take the national AP Exam at no charge. Colleges and universities often award college credit or advanced course placemnt for AP exam scores of 3, 4, or 5 in a scale of 1 through 5. Each college has varying standards for scores as well as what type of credit they will award for a course, and in order to know those options visit the specific website for the university of your choosing.
There are no entrance requirements for AP Courses. Students with strong curiosity about the subject, and a willingness to work hard may enroll in these nationally recognized advanced coursess.
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Dual Enrollment courses are taught on some Pinellas County high school campuses or on the campuses of Saint Petersburg College. Dual Enrollment can satisfy high school graduation requirements and courses appear on on the student's college transcript for credit toward a college degree. No exam grade required for college credit, but course grade is reflected on permanent college transcript. Students with a 3.0 unweighted GPA and a passing score on appropriate Common Placement Test are eligible for Dual Enrollment courses. Contact your school guidance counselor for admission criteria.
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| IB is an international, preuniversity, highly comprehensive two-year IB diploma curriculum. Completion merits a standard high school diploma and an IB diploma. Courses focus on core subjects, and college credits can be earned by successfully completing IB exams. In Pinellas County, there are academic admission requirements and students must apply through the magnet application process. |
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