I didn't understand the comment about choosing between honors and AP. From what I see, all the high school courses (and some middle school courses) have honors versions, but AP courses only appear at the end of the sequence. So as you move through the sequence you choose regular or honors. Then if you get far enough you can take an AP course. I don't see honors or AP as a choice that arises. Yes, but.... this is a
result of the phenomenon that Cookie and I are talking about. That is, more "above average, but not all that bright, even" students are being shuffled into college prep (and "Honors" coursework)-- and also into AP coursework.
When my DD entered high school, I was frankly
stunned to discover that she was (evidently) expected to complete a year of "honors" US History as
preparation for the AP US History course. When I questioned this sort of arrangement-- that is, that AP coursework frequently had "prerequisite" coursework associated with it-- namely, a year of the "honors" course...
I was told in no uncertain terms that this was a set of prerequisites that were intended for-- um--
less intrinsically ABLE students, shall we say. They quickly reassured me that in no way was this prerequisite business intended to apply to students like my DD-- and it didn't.
Frankly, my DD took AP coursework without the prerequisites in most instances, and suffered not at all for it, tyvm. In the one instance that she HAD in fact completed the "prerequisite" course, she found the AP course
laughably easy-- to the point of triviality, almost. I'm very glad that she didn't have to endure that kind of repetition more than once.
We also found that course construction was significantly better than standard providers in the AP coursework, and textbooks were often better too. I've heard the same thing from both Connections and K12 families, so I suspect that it is quite common in virtual settings.
The AP courses are more or less standardized externally by College Board, as well-- so you definitely have a better idea going into those just what you're getting out of them. Yes, the test-prep aspects are a major irritant, but the courses themselves have been at a higher level (and more coherent, frankly) than the Honors versions that my daughter has experienced, which are FAR more dependent upon good teaching to work well.
