2024-2025 Course Selection Process
Overview of the updated process for 9th -11th grade students
Overview of Changes
Season's Greetings VHHS Parent/Guardians & Students,
During the 2024-2025 school year, the Accelerated Placement Act will go into effect. This act requires Illinois public school districts to automatically enroll students who meet or exceed state standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Social Studies, or Science in the next most rigorous level of coursework in that content area the following school year. Most area districts, including District 128, have selected the PSAT/SAT as the nationally normed assessment to use in order to meet expectations of this law. For more information, and to find your student's PSAT scores or 24-25 course placements, please review the newsletter below.
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Step 1: New for 24-25 - Accelerated Placement
How will this law impact my 9th-11th grade student?
The chart below notes how the College Board PSAT benchmarks in EBRW (Evidence Based Reading and Writing) & Math impact course placement for the 2024-2025 school year in each department.
Students who scored at or above the EBRW & Math benchmarks will be eligible for accelerated placement and automatically placed in the next most rigorous course in the corresponding content area. Parents and students will have the option to opt out of the next most rigorous course level as students prioritize balancing their overall schedule, post-secondary goals, and mental health. Students/families who decide to opt out of an honors or AP class will do so during the course selection process and do NOT need to inform department chairs or administration, but will communicate this information when meeting with their counselor. To read more about Illinois State Board of Education's Accelerated Placement Act, click on this link.
Placements/recommendations for students who will enroll in support/intervention courses, have an IEP or 504 plan, and information regarding elective courses can be found in the course selection section below.
Will my student be able to drop an advanced/accelerated class if they try it?
A student and family should not rely on the possibility of a course change or level down, especially after starting the course in August. It will be very difficult for students to change levels over the summer or during the school year once a student has begun the course even if your student is earning a grade other than an A or B. The district creates sections of courses based on the students' requests in January & February. For example, a student who requested AP US History in January may not be able to drop/change to US History after starting the course, because there likely will not be open seats in US History to accommodate the request.
What if I do not have a PSAT score?
The nationally normed STAR Reading and Math Assessment was used in instances where PSAT data was not available for a student. This assessment is taken in all 9th-11th grade English and math classes.
What if my student didn't meet the benchmark?
Students continue developing their academic skills each year. It is common for 8th, 9th, or 10th grade students to not meet benchmarks initially, but to meet benchmarks by the April SAT in their 11th grade year. We anticipate significant growth from all students each year.
While students who meet benchmarks will have automatic access to the next most rigorous course, this does not mean that students who do not meet benchmarks cannot also select a rigorous course. VHHS will also provide students with the option to discuss coursework they believe better aligns with their student's postsecondary education or career goals by contacting the appropriate VHHS academic department chair beginning January 8th to discuss placement. More information about the college and career readiness benchmarks for the SAT Suite may be found at this link.
Where can I find my student's PSAT scores?
Students can find their PSAT scores in their College Board portal.
- As a reminder, this account will be your student's College Board account for all of their College Board tests, including PSAT, SAT and AP, so it is important to keep this account login information saved.
- For detailed instructions on how students can create a College Board account or understanding their PSAT scores, use this VHHS Understanding Your PSAT scores as a resource.
- If creating an account for the first time, we recommend students use their current legal name & gender. Additionally, students should use their personal emails (do not use personal parent emails or Hawthorn 73/VHHS student emails) to set up an account. If a student's College Board account is listed under a VHHS email address the student will permanently lose access to their account when they graduate. VHHS staff cannot reset or look up a student's College Board email, password, or username.
Step 2: How to Find Student Placements
Finding my student's course placements:
Current 9th - 11th grade families can find 2024-2025 course placements (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Language, and some elective areas) in their District 128 PowerSchool Portal beginning December 14th. Placements in PowerSchool include both departments affected by Accelerated Placement and also elective course options outside of the new law. Finally, additional placements for support & intervention (Numeracy & Literacy intervention) courses will be entered in the coming days and prior to course selection meetings in January.
Students with IEP or 504 plan & other support programming:
- A student's case manager and counselor will continue to support course selection, post-secondary planning, and elective choices.
- Course placements that support a student's IEP goals will continue to be updated throughout the next month and in time for course selection meetings in January.
- Additionally, our support team will enroll students in intervention courses to support individual students’ needs and those options will be discussed directly with students and families when appropriate.
- Our special service and counselor teams look forward to supporting each individual student.
Step 3: Locate Academic Planning Resources
Option 1 to locate resources
Option 2 to locate resources
How can my family prepare for course selection in January?
Spend time prior to your student's counselor course selection appointment discussing your student's academic plan. We encourage parents/guardians to meet with their student and assess this school year & current courses, discuss student's passions/interests/strengths & weaknesses and then to consider courses for next school year relative to your student's individual post-secondary goals and career interests. Fill out the course selection request form together (see Step 4 below). Requesting to change courses, drop courses, or level down (APUSH to US History for example) is based solely on available space. Students and families should not count on the option to change courses over the summer or during the school year as sections are often full. This includes if a student is struggling in an advanced course. Students should plan to remain in a course for the duration of the school year even if they experience productive struggle (challenges that lead to growth & learning, but may not guarantee an A or B as the semester grade).
The VHHS website contains resources and this course registration document highlights:
- School counselor advice - provides a concise overview of essential considerations for families. Please check out Video 3 of our parent series which is guided by our school counselors.
- A Parent/Guardian Education Series (short videos) with specific content that includes information about Accelerated Placement and school counselor advice when selecting courses.
- The differences between department course levels (AP vs. college prep or Honors vs. college prep or AP vs. AP).
- Time spent out of class for particular courses - we encourage students to use this out of class time calculator to understand and estimate how much time each day certain classes require.
What should students consider when selecting courses & developing an academic plan?
We highly encourage each family to review our school counselor's advice prior to selecting courses for next school year. Important considerations include:
- Balance: How can your student create an academic plan and an extracurricular plan (athletics, clubs, fine arts activities and work) while maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle
- Choices: Which elective courses (Applied Tech, Business, Family/ Consumer Sciences, Art, Music & World Languages) is your student planning to take? What combination of elective, on-level/ college prep and accelerated courses feels right for my student? Which course should they focus on because it is an area of interest or connects to their post high school goals?
- Advanced Classes & Level: What level of academic rigor is the student prepared for? Are they ready for advanced classes? Which accelerated courses would you consider as a "good stretch"? Which accelerated course would you consider a "stretch too far"? How many accelerated courses (honors, Advanced Placement, capstone or dual credit) should your student take, if any? How much is it OK to struggle?
- It will be very difficult for students to change levels over the summer or during the school year once a student has started the course including students who are not earning an A or B in the course.
When is VHHS course selection?
- 11th grade students: individual appointments with counselors between 1/11 - 2/9
- 10th grade students: counselor appointments during English on 1/24 & 1/25
- 9th grade students: counselor appointments during PE/Health on 1/16 & 1/17
Step 4: Select 2024-2025 Course Requests With Student
Sample course request form
We encourage 9th-11th grade parents/guardians and students to meet and complete their 2024-2025 course selection request form together prior to their counselor appointment. Each student's individual course request form will be found in their counselor's Google classroom.
Additionally, this form has a space for a parent/guardian signature and also has the option for Accelerated Placement opt out in each core department.
Timeline of Course Selection
12/14/23 - 1/10/24
Prepare for counselor course selection appointments
1/10/24
Class Meetings - Launch course selection
1/11/24
11th grade individual course selection appointments begin
1/16/24 - 1/17/24
Current 9th grade course selection appointments in PE or Health
1/24/24-1/25/24
Current 10th grade course selection appointments in English
2/9/24
11th grade course selection appointments end
February - March
District staffing meetings & course sections assigned
April
2024-2025 master schedule built by building administration
May
Counselors contact students for issues with course conflicts & students can submit course change requests through mid-July.