Advanced Programs

Advanced Placement®:  The College Board’s AP program enables academically-prepared students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. Available at Foss, Lincoln, Mount Tahoma, Oakland, SAMI, SOTA, Silas, Stadium, and Tacoma Online high schools.

Homeschooled Students and Students Whose Schools do not Offer AP Exams: Tacoma Public Schools does not order or proctor exams for non-Tacoma Public Schools students.  If you are looking for a testing site for the upcoming Advanced Placements exams, please visit the CollegeBoard for alternative sites in our area.  

Support is available for AP students to help them learn throughout the year and prepare for their May AP Exams and where students have the opportunity to earn high school credit.  

1. Make sure student uses the join code given by their AP teacher once they have been registered into the AP course. The teacher will provide a code to join their class section. This will give them access to  AP Classroom where they can practice their skills, receive feedback on their progress, and see real AP Exam questions.   
2. Beginning September 1, AP Daily videos, on-demand lessons led by AP teachers from across the country, will be available in AP Classroom. Along with other free resources, they provide daily support for students. Students can watch them at their own pace on a mobile device or a computer with internet access, and teachers can also include them as part of their curriculum. There will be videos available for most courses. Students should sign into AP Classroom at myap.collegeboard.org as soon as they are eligible to access all of the AP supports.  
3. There is a fall deadline to register for AP Exams. Students must register for the exam by the deadline to qualify for the test. See About AP Exams CollegeBoard Site for more information. Passing AP exams could mean saving money on tuition. A qualifying score is three or higher on the AP exam in each subject area.

All students enrolled in AP courses are expected to take the associated AP exam. Tacoma Public Schools covers all regular fees for AP exams for students enrolled in the courses.  In addition to the free online support offered through MyAP, College Board also highly endorses Khan Academy as online support for AP classes and SAT prep.  

Khan Academy Parent Quick Start Guide

Khan Academy Keep Learning - Distance Learning Survival Guide

The AP Program: Resources for Parents and Families

Joining Your AP Class Section

Joining Your AP Class Section - YouTube

AP Classroom User Guide for Students

Get Ahead with AP - Students - CollegeBoard

Tips for AP Students

AP Overview for Students

Big Future Student Ambassador Program

Benefits of Advanced Placement

Taking AP classes can help students:

Build skills and confidence.

• AP students learn essential time management and study skills needed for college and career success.
• They dig deeper into subjects that interest them and learn to tap their creativity and their problem-solving skills to address course challenges.

Get into college.

• Students who take AP courses send a signal to colleges that they’re serious about their education and that they’re willing to challenge themselves with rigorous coursework.
• 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions.

Succeed in college.

• Research shows that students who receive a score of 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than their non-AP peers.

Save time and money in college.

• Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a college degree on time—which means they avoid paying for, for example, the fifth year of tuition.
• Most colleges and universities nationwide offer college credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. This can mean:
  • Fulfilling graduation requirements early
  • Being able to skip introductory courses or required general-education courses

College Board provides a resource for Parents and Guardians which includes fast facts, benefits of taking AP, frequently asked questions, and more resources. 

AP Credit Policy Search - AP scores could earn college credit or advanced placement (students could skip certain courses in college). Use this tool to find colleges that offer credit or placement for AP Exam Scores. 

What is IB Education?

International Baccalaureate®: IB is a non-profit educational foundation with four programs to help students develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world. 

1. Inquirers - develop natural curiosity, acquire skills to conduct inquiry and research, show independence in learning
2. Knowledgeable - explore concepts, ideas and issues with local and global significance acquiring in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines
3. Thinkers - exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems and make reasoned and ethical decisions. 
4. Communicators - understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication. They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
5. Principled - act with integrity and honesty, with strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of individuals, groups and communities. They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them. 
6. Open-minded - understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories, open to perspectives, values and traditions of other individuals and communities. They are accustomed to seeking and evaluating a range of points of view and are willing to grow from the experience. 
7. Caring - show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They have a personal commitment to service and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.
8. Risk-takers - approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas, and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.
9. Balanced - understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.
10. Reflective - give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development. 

IB Programme Framework

PYP - Primary Years Programme

• McCarver Intermediate School
• Whittier Elementary School 

MYP - Middle Years Programme

• Giaudrone Middle School
• Hunt Middle School
• Wainwright Intermediate School
• Foss High School

DP - Diploma Programme 

• Foss High School

IB and University Admissions 

Students enrolled in IB courses will be taught by their regularly assigned high school teacher. The lessons will be designed on course units of study guided by the requirements of the IB curricular standards. There are no additional registration requirements for IB until exam time at which the IB coordinator will assist with exam registration. 

Running Start: Running Start provides qualified 11th and 12th-grade students an option to attend a higher education institution while earning high school and college/university credit. These courses are taken on the college campus or remotely with the college. Available at Foss, Lincoln, Mount Tahoma, SAMI, SOTA, Silas, Stadium, and Tacoma Online high schools.

These are college courses, and the content that is not K-12 approved resources and is not accessible through school district hardware. Inquiries about the course and assessment requirements should be directed to the host college. High school counselors can assist with making connections, and the link directly to TCC Running Start information page is provided TCC Running Start. 

College in the High School: College in the High School (CIHS) provides college-level academic courses in high schools for qualified high school students. Students enrolled in CIHS are officially enrolled in a dual-credit high school/college or university course. Students must meet college-specific course requirements to earn both high school and college credit. Available at IDEA, Lincoln, Mount Tahoma, SAMI, SOTA, Stadium and Wilson high schools.

High school teachers work directly with the partnering college or university to train, develop, and deliver college level lessons. Students are enrolled as Tacoma Public School students and receive instruction from their assigned high school teacher providing the CIHS curriculum.  

Some CIHS programs require students to take the Accuplacer test as an eligibility requirement. Please inquire with the high school counselor and instructor of your CIHS course for additional registration information.