College Credit and Advanced (AP) Courses

*The College Credit and Advanced Placement (AP) Programs are cooperative efforts among secondary schools and colleges/ universities as a means for colleges to grant credit, placement or both to students who have applied themselves successfully. Students need to check with each respective college for specific information on credit granted through the programs.  A scholarship through the ISD Foundation is offered annually in support of students who wish to pursue this coursework, but do not have the financial means to do so.  Please see your high school counselor for an application.

NOTE: COLLEGE CREDIT AND AP COURSES REQUIRE A FEE FOR THE COLLEGE CREDIT AND/OR ADVANCED STANDING.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses.  Project Lead The Way is the nation's leading provider of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs. Through world-class K-12 curriculum, high-quality teacher professional development, and outstanding partnerships, PLTW is helping students develop the skills needed to succeed in the global economy.  Historically, science and math have been taught in isolation. The project-based aspects of the Project Lead The Way curriculum give students a chance to apply what they know, identify a problem, find unique solutions, and lead their own learning, rather than be passive recipients of information in a question-and-answer, right-or-wrong learning environment. ISD uses the PLTW platform to offer courses in three pathways:  Engineering & Architecture, Biomedical Science, and Information Technology. A minimum grade of 70% is required in a PLTW course to progress through the course sequence. 

Herndon Career Center/M.C.C./Summit Technology Academy, Centers of Excellence Courses 

An articulation agreement with the Centers of Excellence enables a student who earns a “B” grade or better in selected Career Center courses to receive college credit if he/she pursues an associate degree in that field. Further, several courses at these Centers of Excellence offer dual-credit (similar to those listed with M.C.C. above). A complete listing of these opportunities available through the Centers of Excellence is provided in the high school counseling office or directly from Herndon Career Center, M.C.C., or Summit Technology Academy.

Weighted Courses

Weighted courses are available in selected subject areas. They carry an additional grade point value and some offer college credit as well, due to the nature of the class. Weighted courses are determined according to the following criteria:

• Advanced Placement (AP - note: only if the AP assessment is completed during the course) and/or Honors 
• Project Lead the Way courses
• College Credit courses
• Honors Courses and advanced math courses

Courses taken in Advanced Placement, Project Lead the Way, or college credit formats will receive added grade points in the grading system ONLY if the students take the AP exam, successfully complete a PLTW course, or earn college credit at the end of the coursework. Students enrolled in Honors or Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses will receive a weighted value of .50 on a 4.0 scale. Students enrolled in an advanced math course, AP or college credit courses will receive a weighted value of 1.0 on a 4.0 scale

Advanced Placement (AP), Honors, College Credit, Project Lead the Way