The mission of Advanced Academics is to work collaboratively with community members, parents, students, teachers and administrators to design, guide and supervise academically advanced programs that promote rigor, depth and complexity; and to challenge the District’s advanced and gifted learners. Advanced Academics ensures that all of the District’s students have access to a wide selection of challenging courses to enhance and broaden opportunities for future education and career options.
Advanced Academics is a program open to all students with high academic interest and strong study habits. Advanced courses begin at the secondary level (6th through 12th grades) and help to prepare students for college.
Independent Study and Independent Study Mentorship (ISM) courses at both middle school and high school are based on the Exit Level Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) for gifted/talented (G/T) students and offer a non-traditional learning experience to those students who have the ability to create innovative products or performances in specific areas of talent and/or interest.
AP (Advanced Placement) courses are developed by the College Board and are designed to provide college level studies for students using college level material and strategies. Students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP exam at the end of the course. Test scores range from 0 – 5 with 5 being the highest. Students who receive a score of 3 or better will qualify for an advanced measure as part of the Distinguished Achievement Program.
Pre-AP (Pre-Advanced Placement) courses are designed to prepare high school students for success in college-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The depth and rigor of material requires students to read and write extensively, both in and out of class.
Dual Credit courses are offered to students interested in taking college credit courses while still in high school. Students are taught and graded in the same way as college students who take the same course. Most courses will transfer to any public Texas college or university when a student earns a grade of “C” or better.
Who Should Take Independent Study and Independent Study Mentorship Courses? All of the Independent Study courses are designed for highly motivated and highly disciplined students who are able to create professional quality products and performances while working essentially on their own.
Who Should Take Pre-AP and AP Courses? Students are encouraged to challenge themselves but also find a balance among advanced courses, extra-curricular activities, and outside activities. Students should not feel that they have to take all classes at the Pre-AP/AP level. The decision on the number of Pre-AP/AP classes should be an individual decision based on the schedule and interest of each student.
Dual Credit is offered to students interested in taking College Credit courses while still in high school. Students receive instruction in the State Mandated TEKS as well as the required content for College Credit. The college offering the course will award college credit immediately after students successfully complete the course.
Students must apply for Dual Credit and be accepted by the college/institution granting the Dual Credit. Many courses require a minimum score on Accuplacer (an on-line entrance exam) or other tests to qualify for enrollment. Students must also complete the entire process of consent, and application and must be accepted by the college/institution before enrollment is approved.
Tech Prep Program courses may be counted toward college credit if they are part of the job-specific articulated sequence of study. These courses are established between the school district and the community college the student will attend after graduation. Students must complete the four courses that are part of the sequence while in high school. Once articulated, these courses may be awarded an advanced measure for DAP credit.
Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP)
The Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) recognizes students in CISD who
(1) demonstrate levels of performance equivalent to college students; or
(2) demonstrate work done at a professional level in the arts, sciences, business, industry, or community service.
The Distinguished Achievement Program requires students to:
(1) complete the graduation requirements for the Distinguished Achievement Graduation Plan; and
(2) complete a total of four advanced measures from the following categories:
- Original Research and/or Project which is:
Judged by a panel of professionals in the field that is the focus of the project; or
Conducted under the direction of a mentor and reported to an appropriate audience; and
Related to the required curriculum set form in §74.1 of the Texas Essential Knowledge and
Skills (TEKS).
(May not be used for more than two of the four measures)
- Test data where a student receives:
A score of three or above on a College AP exam;
A score of four or higher on an IB exam; or
A score on the PSAT that qualifies a student for recognition as a Commended Scholar or higher by the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation, as part of the National Hispanic Scholar Program for the College Board, or as part of the National Achievement
Scholarship Program for Outstanding Negro Students. The PSAT score may count as only one advanced measure regardless of
the number of honors received.
(May be used for all four measures)
- College coursework/credit through
Concurrent enrollment in a college course and a grade of 3.0 or higher;
Approved dual credit courses where a student earns a grade of 80 or higher;
Any Tech Prep coherent sequence of courses (there are four in the sequence) offered by CISD in which the student earns
a score of 80 or higher and/or receives specific certification or professional licensure;
o Advanced Technical Credit (ATC) courses offered by CISD. Student must be a junior or senior and earn a score of 80 or higher
(May be used for all four measures)
