AP & Other Placement Policies

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At BHS, AP coursework is available in twenty-one (21) different areas. Students must meet all course prerequisites to select these classes. All students enrolled in AP courses are strongly encouraged to take the associated AP examinations. Each student and family must plan for the cost of the AP exam fees if they choose to take the exam (currently $100.00, but subject to change). Students who receive free or reduced school lunch are eligible for Advanced Placement fee subsidies.

Grade 10 students may only enroll in one (1) AP course.

Grade 11 and Grade 12 students enrolled in two or more AP courses may enroll in 29.5 credits (or one fewer semester course) 

Grade 11 and Grade 12 students who enroll in three (3) or more AP courses have the option to enroll in AP Directed Seminar. (pg. 80)

Seniors in AP classes must complete all coursework and remain in class until the AP exam. They may join the Senior Career Exploration Program (formerly the Senior Internship) part-time during the fourth quarter and are encouraged to consider a workplace learning experience, community service project, or MCC minimester instead of a full internship.

Advanced Placement Courses offered at Burlington High School:

AP Language & Composition
AP Biology
AP Computer Science A
AP Literature & Composition
AP Environmental Science
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Statistics
AP Chemistry
AP African American Studies
AP Calculus AB
AP French Language & Culture
AP Human Geography
AP Calculus BC
AP Spanish Language & Culture
AP Psychology
AP Music Theory
AP Studio Art
AP U.S. History
AP Physics
AP Cyber: Security                                 
AP World History

OTHER ACADEMIC POLICIESEmpty heading

Promotion from grade to grade in Burlington High School and graduation from Burlington High School shall be determined by a cumulative credit system. Points for various subjects shall be determined in the following manner:

  1. One (1) annual credit for each period per seven-day cycle that the subject meets.
  2. Subjects that only meet for one semester shall earn half ( ½ ) the credit given to an equivalent full-year subject.
  3. Students shall be enrolled in at least six (6) academic courses per seven-day cycle (30 credits), in addition to their physical education/health requirement. 
  4. Students may select a maximum of thirty-five (35) credits per school year.
  1. Promotion to the next grade requires the following minimum credits:

    Entering Grade 10:   A minimum of 27 credits is required

    Entering Grade 11: A minimum of 55 credits is required

    Entering Grade 12:  A minimum of 82.5 credits is required

    Graduation: A minimum of 110 credits is required

  2. Attendance at summer school to make up credits for promotion from grade to grade is permitted; however, students may make up no more than ten (10) credits during summer school. To qualify for summer school make-up credit, students must be approved by the subject teacher unless the high school principal grants special permission.

Absences affect a student’s academic performance. Learning is an ongoing process whereby participation in classroom activities is vital. Students who miss six or more classes in a quarter may lose credit for that course.

All course selections should be considered final. The program selected by the student in early spring each year should represent a final choice of courses for the following year.  Students are expected to give careful consideration to their course selections so that they discover and develop their special capabilities. Students who register for a course have made a commitment to complete this course and are expected to do so.  Should students encounter difficulty, their teacher and counselor will be available to explore the reasons for this difficulty and consider ways to address the difficulty without dropping the course. There will be a three-week period after the close of the first-quarter interim reports during which level change requests will be considered.  After the first quarter, no level changes will be made.

Many courses offered at Burlington High School are designed on the assumption that each student has a particular set of knowledge and skills in place before beginning the course. For this reason, specific courses in the Program of Studies list required prerequisite courses, teacher recommendations, and/or prerequisite grades. Prerequisites ensure that a student is ready to take a course. Similarly, due to the demanding content of certain courses, families should consider the recommendations for student success. In some cases, a parent or student may feel that a student is ready for a particular course, but that student has not met the prerequisites. Any student requesting to opt out of a Burlington High School course MUST follow procedures set forth by each specific department that has approved an opt-out process. The Administration may allow for specific adjustments and course offerings based on individual student needs.