A Bridge to KAPKaty Advanced Program

Hello!Joan Otten

***At the end of the presentation: What teachers and students say about being in advanced courses.

Goals for this presentation are to...

1.Provide information that will assist parents and students in making decisions about secondary course options

2.Provide information on advanced course options for grade 6.

3.Explain how GT students are served within the KAP Program.

Katy Advanced Program (KAP)

Grades 6-10is designed to better prepare

students for the academic rigor of Advanced Placement courses.

KAP is open to all students

Advanced Academics in Katy ISD

•Katy ISD recognizes the value of student participation in advanced academic coursework and encourages students to enroll in advanced coursework in 6th grade.

•Junior High is where students develop their independence for learning and begin to challenge themselves academically.

Katy ISD Advanced Academics

○ KAP and AP courses are designed to challenge students beyond grade-level academic courses and prepare them for success in future advanced level coursework.

○ Students are encouraged to participate in as many KAP courses as possible in the 6th grade.

Why try KAP in Junior high?

○ Students who enroll in KAP in junior high benefit from early preparation and academic rigor to develop the academic skills to more easily transition to high school AP coursework.

○ Grades earned in junior high KAP courses do not count toward the high school GPA (high school courses taken in junior high do count toward high school GPA, ex. Algebra I).

KAP in JH

○ Developed with a concentration on building the student’s capacity to understand and process rigorous content.

KAP Curriculum in Katy ISD

○ Built upon the core academic curriculum.

○ Academically advanced course of study.

◦ Contains curriculum objectives that are more complex.

◦ Resources are more extensive.

◦ Performance expectations are higher and more rigorous.

Making Course Decisions

Access to Advanced AcademicsKAP

When making a decision about KAP enrollment for your child, consider:

1. Consider your child’s past state test performance and other course related performance data.

2. Review semester averages earned in core classes.3. Self assess in terms of student attitudes and study

habits.4. Consider their personal/academic interests and

strengths.5. Is your child challenged sufficiently in academic

courses?

How many KAP courses should a 6th grader take?

✓Each child’s needs are different. Sixth grade course options are English, Reading, Math, Social Studies and Science.

✓Students with strong grades in 5th grade are highly encouraged to enroll in as many core KAP courses as are available.

?

•You can choose as few or as many KAP courses as you feel are appropriate for your child.

•Students successful in 5th grade mathematics should be in KAP math in the 6th grade.

“Some As are not as good as some Bs.”?

It’s what you learn not the grade you receive.

Points to RememberPoints to Remember to Remember

Exiting Advanced Academic Courses

•Students experiencing success (C or better SEMESTER average) should remain in the course for the semester.

•Before petitioning to exit a KAP or an AP course must: conference with the teacher, complete all course assignments, and/or attend recommended tutorials.

•Granting the petition is based on input from the teacher, student, performance in the course, availability of space in other courses, and the timing of the request.

KAP Course Pathways by Subject

English Language Arts

Course Sequence

6th KAP Reading and KAP English

7th KAP Reading and KAP English or

KAP/GT Eng and Reading combined

8th KAP English

9th KAP English I

10th KAP English II

11th AP English Language and Composition

12th AP English Literature and Composition

Academic vs KAP/AP

Academic KAP/AP

No required summer reading

Summer reading beginning the

summer after 5th Grade

Timed assessments are not emphasized

Timed Writings

Young Adult Literature

Authors of Merit

Social Studies

ELAR & SS Skill Development

● Primary and secondary document analysis

● Outside reading in addition to textbook

● Accountability for independent reading

● Thesis and Essay Writing● Note-making

Course Sequence

6th KAP World Cultures

7th KAP Texas History

8th KAP US History

9th KAP World Geography

OrAP Human Geography (Required for GT stude

10thKAP World History

OrAP World History

11th AP US History/AP Psychology (10, 11, or 12th)

12th AP Government/AP EconomicsAP European History (11 or 12th)

The Sciences

Course Sequence

6th KAP Science

7th KAP Science

8th KAP Science

9th KAP Biology

10th KAP Chemistry

11th AP Physics 1

12th AP Physics 2, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, or AP Environmental Science

Mathematics

“○ Goal of KAP Mathematics in grades 6 and 7:

◦ Success in Algebra I in 8th grade.

○ Accelerated curriculum in 6th and 7th grades:◦ 6th Grade KAP Math includes ½ of 7th Grade Math

TEKS along with all of the 6th Grade TEKS.◦ 7th Grade KAP Math includes the second ½ of 7th

Grade TEKS and all of 8th Grade Math TEKS.

“○ Criteria for entering 6th Grade KAP Math (open

enrollment) ◦ Meet any one of the following three criteria:

◦ Student chooses advanced mathematics.◦ Student performed at a level included in the

top two quintiles on district data on 5th grade STAAR.

◦ Student performed at “Masters” level on 5th grade STAAR.

Academic vs KAP/AP

Academic KAP/AP

6th 6th grade math curriculum

All of 6th grade TEKS and ½ of 7th

grade TEKS

7th 7th grade math curriculum

½ of 7th grade TEKS and all of 8th

grade TEKS

8th 8th grade math Algebra I

9th Algebra I KAP Geometry

12th Pre-Calculus (Possible AP Statistics)AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Statistics

KAP Math Pathway

6th KAP 6th Grade Math

7th KAP 7th Grade Math

8th Algebra I (not a weighted course)

9th KAP Geometry

10th KAP Algebra II

11th KAP Pre-Calculus

12th AP Calculus AB or BC

Credit by Exams

Questions regarding Credit By Exam (CBE) should be directed to the Accountability and Assessment Department.

Visit this website for details and deadlines and contact campus counselor for additional information.

http://www.katyisd.org/dept/assessment/Pages/Credit-by-Examination-(CBE).aspx

http://www.katyisd.org/dept/assessment/Pages/Credit-by-Examination-(CBE).aspx

Do KAP courses have more homework than academic courses?

Usually, yes. But...parents and students respond that the homework amount is generally appropriate.FAQsAre students enrolled in KAP courses able to participate in extracurricular activities?

Many athletes, cheerleaders, music students, etc. take KAP and AP courses.

Can a student who does not enroll in KAP course in 6th grade begin KAP in 7th?

Generally, yes. However, we encourage all students to enroll in KAP 6th grade courses. Students who are strong in math should begin KAP Math in 6th grade.

FAQsCan my child test out of a JH course to accelerate to the next level

There is a process in place known as Credit By Exam (CBE). Contact your campus counselor for more information.

http://www.katyisd.org/dept/assessment/Pages/Credit-by-Examination-(CBE).aspx

http://www.katyisd.org/dept/assessment/Pages/Credit-by-Examination-(CBE).aspx

KAP and Gifted LearnersStudents identified as Gifted need to select courses designated as

KAP/GT.What if my child is not successful in the program?●Contact the GT facilitator about growth plans to that will help your child be successful or to get information on exit policies.Can my child leave the program?●Yes; students can formally exit the program or furlough from the program.What is a furlough?●A temporary exit from a GT course for specific reasons detailed in KISD board policy. Furloughs are limited to a specific timeframe.

Is it advisable to take all KAP/GT classes? ○ The child should select as many KAP/GT core courses

as possible. Junior High is where students develop their independence for learning. It is also where good study skills and habits are started that will help them be more successful in high school and beyond.

● Consult the 2021-2022 Course Catalog (available online or at your home campus).

● Watch for campus-specific enrollment information from your child’s campus usually in January.

● Contact the Junior High Counselor where your child will attend 6th grade.

Thank You!Please stay on to see what teachers and students say about KAP and AP.This PowerPoint is also posted on the Katy ISD GT website.

What teachers say about KAP/AP:

I love being able to challenge my KAP students to make connections with their everyday life. My KAP students are often making connections that I myself hadn’t thought of. K.Z. 8th Grade Science

In Science, we are learning the same content, but the approach is different in a KAP class. Students are given more opportunities to come up with the answers on their own through explorations. K.Z. 8th Grade Science

While the content in 6th grade science is not drastically different between KAP and ACA, the process of experiencing the content is. While an ACA class will have some “buffer” or “review/ reinforcement” days built in, a KAP class will complete an extension lab where they are able to further research, explore, and experience the content in a way that they find interesting, or in a way that reinforces skills such as critical and creative thinking. There are days where on paper, an ACA and KAP class look fairly similar, however, a KAP class will make observations and connections that will allow for deeper thinking within a topic than what is explored within the ACA setting. E.W. 6th Grade Science

During the second semester, we are going to do curriculum compacting for the units of Geometry and Personal Finance. This is where students can test out of a unit and do a project that will enrich their learning about the subjects of Personal Finance and Geometry. M. D. 6th Grade Math

In my KAP classroom, instruction is rigorous, challenging and welcomes all forms of creativity. Student led discussion as well as critical thinking play a role in how students approach daily task as well as analyzing and synthesizing assignments. T.O. 6th Grade ELA

When facilitating discussions over mentor texts we have read, etc., or just organic classroom discussions, I regularly tell my students that I will not express my opinion in the discussion because my job is not to tell them what I think about the topic but to teach them to think critically and formulate their own opinions; however, I then add the caveat that I will often play devil’s advocate in response to things they say in order to deepen/push their thinking about a topic/discussion. E.B. 7/8th Grade ELA

What junior high students say about KAP/AP:

What high school students say about KAP and AP

○ Being in KAP English, “I learned to apply myself better. I learned that reading is key and that it is actually fun, and I taught myself how to de-stress and organize my work.”  

○ I am actually very proud of how much better my writing got while taking KAP English. Starting the year with a 70 on a writing assignment, but ending with 100s is just amazing. 

○ KAP English sparked my hobby of reading again, which is a hobby I stopped having for a long time until this year. 

○ I liked the TED talk project because it was fun being able to talk about the things I have strong opinions about. 

○ In my KAP classes this year, I like that the entire classroom seemed to be kind of like a community, and everyone was there to support each other. There was always someone willing to help when another student needed help.

○  My favorite KAP project is the TED Talk we did in KAP English. It was a way for people to express their interests and, as classmates presented, we learned a lot about each other. 

○ The project where we had to do our own TED talk that was really interesting.

KAP in HS

More….

○ My favorite KAP project is the TED Talk we did in KAP English. It was a way for people to express their interests and, as classmates presented, we learned a lot about each other. 

○ What I like about my KAP classes is that we are always provided with detailed instructions and encouraged to challenge ourselves. 

○ In my KAP classes, the assignments we had gave us the opportunity to not only learn about new concepts but to practice using them to better understand them.  

○ The KAP assignments really challenged me and made me think on my own.  ○ I love that in my KAP classes we are often able to pick and choose what to do for projects,

and there were many assignments with groups or a game. 

○ Although the assignments given in KAP are challenging at times, they require students to think deeper about things they may never have really pondered before.

KAP in HS