Familiarize Families with AP Expectations and Structures

To establish expectations and provide information about available support to families early enough for them to proactively provide support for students.

Students and families that are informed up-front of the expectations and structures of AP courses are better positioned to believe their students are capable of meeting expectations.

• Gather data from families about the best time to hold a panel before scheduling.
• Collate information about the expectations and structures of the class and school’s AP program including: course syllabus, after school support, transportation Information, preview course content, exemplary student work samples, and classroom instructional structures (e.g. academic discussions, scientific labs, virtual classrooms, student contracts).
• Schedule a panel reflecting the schedule data from families and present to families.

This idea can be further supported with a newsletter or another form of communication sent home to families with the support of guidance counselors, AP coordinators or family liaisons starting as early as grade 9 (ensuring families see the full trajectory of a students’ AP experience and anticipate the support they’ll need to grow.)