Advanced Academics

Advanced Academics includes courses, programs, assessments, services and supports that provide opportunities for students to demonstrate college and career readiness and earn postsecondary credit.

Students in Barbers Hill ISD may experience advanced academics programming through a variety of options, including Gifted and Talented services, Advanced Placement courses, competitions, and more.

Advanced Placement (AP) Program

AP courses are open to all students with the prerequisite coursework who wish to take on the additional challenge of advanced academics.

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program

Barbers Hill ISD offers Advanced Placement courses to high school students who are ready to engage in college level course content and rigorous academics. AP courses concentrate on providing students with rigorous college level academic instruction by a College Board authorized AP teacher while preparing students for the AP exam associated with the course and possibly qualifying for college credit. AP students are expected to work at an accelerated pace and to engage in outside reading and independent learning.

The following AP courses are offered in Barbers Hill ISD:

AP Art History
AP Biology
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Chemistry
AP Computer Science A
AP Computer Science Principles
AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Environmental Science
AP European History
AP Human Geography
AP Macroeconomics
AP Physics C: Mechanics
AP Physics I
AP Psychology
AP Research
AP Seminar
AP Spanish Language and Culture
AP Statistics
AP Studio Art - 2D
AP Studio Art - 3D
AP Studio Art - Drawing
AP United States Government and Politics
AP United States History
AP World History

Parents and students may wish to visit the AP Credit and Placement College and University Search at www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy to review the AP policies at individual institutions. Each college and university determines their own policy; however, Texas public colleges and universities must provide credit for a score of 3 or higher on any exam.

AP Exam Fees

As a commitment to advanced academics, Barbers Hill ISD partially funds the cost of each AP exam for our students. Currently, Barbers Hill ISD contributes $33 to cover the cost of each AP exam allowing our students to pay $65 instead of the $98 College Board price. College Board sets the AP exam fees each school year and our district reevaluates our contribution annually. Current AP exam pricing information is communicated to students in their AP courses.

AP Eagle Waiver

Barbers Hill ISD issues the Eagle AP Waiver to students taking five or more AP exams in the same school year. The Eagle AP Waiver eliminates the financial cost of the AP exam once students have completed the registration process and payments for their first four exams. Beginning with the fifth registered AP exam and each additional AP exam, Barbers Hill ISD will fully cover the cost of the AP exams. This ensures that the most a family pays for AP exams in one school year is $260. Students eligible for the Eagle AP Waiver will receive further information from the College and Career Counselor.

AP Subsidies

Students eligible for free/reduced lunch are qualify for additional fee reductions on the AP exam. Please see the College and Career Counselor at the high school if you think you are eligible.

Honors Programs

Students are encouraged to take Honors courses prior to enrolling in AP courses. The strategies and skills students learn in Honors courses help them acquire content knowledge, provide a foundation for college readiness, and prepare them for success in Advanced Placement courses. Barbers Hill ISD offers Honors courses in language arts, social studies, science and mathematics beginning in grade 6.

Credit by Exam

The purpose of Credit by Exam (CBE) is acceleration (i.e. skipping a grade or course).

To accelerate an entire grade level, students must take exams in the four core subject areas (Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and score at least an 80% on all four exams.

For high school courses, each exam is worth one semester, or a half, credit. In order to receive one full credit for a course, two exams must be taken (part A and part B of the course) and the passing standard of 80% must be met on each semester exam.

Eligibility

The student must currently be enrolled in Barbers Hill ISD and may not have been enrolled in the grade or have taken the course he/she is attempting to accelerate.
A completed registration form must be turned in to the student’s home campus by the deadline. Registration forms turned in after the deadline will not be considered.
There will be a refundable deposit of $30 per test required at the time of registration.
A school district representative must recommend that the student be accelerated.
The parent/guardian must give written approval for the acceleration.

General Information

Assessments from the Texas Tech University K-12 will be used.
It is the student’s responsibility to bring any necessary materials to the testing site, or complete the required preparation prior to the test, as indicated on the Texas Tech University K-12's study guide website for each specific exam. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/k12/cbe/review/
A student may take a specific exam only once during each testing window.
A student may not take an exam for a specific course or grade more than two times.
Students may not retest in consecutive testing periods for the same grade/course.
Scores below 80% will not be recorded on the student’s permanent record/transcript.
Calculation of grade point average and class rank excludes semester grades earned through credit by exam for the purpose of acceleration.
At the beginning of the school year in which the student would ordinarily be required to enroll in a course/grade level, if the student fails to meet the required passing standard, the student must be enrolled in the course/grade level.
Placement in a new grade/course will be made only at the beginning of the school year regardless of when the credit by exam was administered.
The district will not accept scores of testing completed outside the district’s scheduled testing window without prior approval from the campus principal and the Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

CBE Testing Information

Tests will be administered only on the scheduled testing dates with two sessions (AM and PM) each day. Make-up tests will not be administered.
The maximum time allowed for each exam is three hours, and a maximum of two tests per day may be taken.
After the AM testing session has ended, the student will be returned to their parent/guardian.
No lunch or supervision will be provided between testing sessions.
Students must be picked up immediately upon completion of their final testing session of the day.
Parents are not permitted in the testing room.
Students who arrive late (up to thirty minutes) will be allowed to test, but must sign a waiver agreeing to a shortened time for testing.
Students who arrive more than thirty minutes late for a test will not be allowed to take the test, and their test deposit(s) will not be refunded.
Students who do not take the test on the assigned date for which they registered will not have their test deposit refunded to them.

CBE Fees

Barbers Hill ISD will only pay for the first testing attempt in each subject/grade. Any second testing attempts must be paid by the parent/guardian.
Deposits will not be refunded if the student is a no-show, more than 30 minutes late, does not complete the test, or is repeating the test.
Refunds will be made within three weeks after each testing session.

Registration Forms
2023 - 2024

Kindergarten - 8th Grade Credit By Exam Registration Form
9th - 12th Grade Credit By Exam Registration Form

CBE Dates for 2023-2024

Opportunity 1

Test Session Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Deadline for Registration: Friday, September 15, 2023

Opportunity 2

Test Session Date: Monday, February 19, 2024
Deadline for Registration: Friday, January 19, 2024

Opportunity 3

Test Session Date: Wednesday-Thursday, June 5-6, 2024
Deadline for Registration: Friday, May 3, 2024

Opportunity 4

Test Session Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Deadline for Registration: Thursday, June 6, 2024

Dual Credit

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) defines dual credit as a system under which an eligible high school student enrolls in college course(s) and receives credit for the course(s) from both the college and high school. Dual credit courses may be taught on the high school campus by an approved instructor or on the college campus. Dual credit courses include both academic and technical courses.

Advantages

Saves money on college tuition
Provides the opportunity to complete college level credential while in high school that can lead to immediate job opportunities
Transfers credits earned in high school to Texas public colleges and universities
Provides experience with college coursework

Eligibility and Enrollment

In order to enroll in Dual Credit courses, a student must demonstrate that they are college-ready by earning a specific score on a high school assessment (ACT, SAT, STAAR, or TSIA). Students interested in Dual Credit should meet with their Counselor for more information on eligibility and enrollment.

Lee College Dual Credit MOU
Signature Page
Dual Credit New Student Orientation
How to Make a Payment or Set Up a Payment Plan

Dual Enrollment (UT OnRamps)

OnRamps is one of the University of Texas at Austin’s signature initiatives designed to expand access to high-quality educational opportunities across the state of Texas.

Using a distance learning approach, students meeting university-level standards have the opportunity to earn UT Austin credit from a UT faculty member as well as high school credit from their local teacher. All OnRamps courses are guaranteed to transfer to any public institution in Texas.

For more information, visit the UT OnRamps website at: https://onramps.utexas.edu/
OnRamps Parent One-Pager_English
OnRamps Parent One-Pager_Spanish

The following OnRamps courses are offered in Barbers Hill ISD.

Discovery Precalculus (M 305G)

ACT College Admissions Test

The ACT is a standardized achievement test designed to demonstrate how prepared a student is for college by measuring the student’s knowledge and skills in the subjects they have taken in high school.

Official ACT Website

The ACT:

Subject content includes English, math, reading, science reasoning, and optional essay
2 hours and 55 minutes (3 hours 40 minutes with essay)
scored on a scale of 1-36 and score is valid for college admission for five years
provides accommodations for students with disabilities and English language supports
preparation includes the ASPIRE for grades 3-10 and the PreACT in grade 10 to measure growth

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test)

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is an assessment managed by the College Board that has been used as a college admissions test since the mid-1920s. The SAT measures literacy and writing skills and assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. Colleges may use SAT scores for admissions and merit-based scholarships.

Official SAT Website

The SAT:

subject content includes reading (5 passages), writing & language, math, and optional essay
3 hours without essay (3 hours 50 minutes with essay)
scored on a scale of 400-1600 and score is valid for college admission for 5 years
provides accommodations for students with disabilities
preparation includes the College Board’s Suite of Assessments

SAT School Day

Each Spring, Barbers Hill ISD provides all juniors the opportunity to take the SAT college readiness exam on campus for free during the SAT School Day. Contact the high school Academic Dean of Testing for more information.

TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment)

The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is part of the Texas Success Initiative enacted by the Texas State Legislature and designed to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in the general areas of reading, writing, and mathematics.

The TSIA, or one of its exemptions, has been required of Texas students entering a Texas college or university for nearly ten years. The TSIA is administered through the College Board’s Accuplacer digital platform. Universities, community colleges, school districts and high school campuses can request to administer the TSIA to students.

What are the passing scores?

Students scoring at or above the cut scores are considered “college ready” and eligible to enroll in any entry level college course (for example, English composition, history, government, or college algebra). Some college level courses require passing scores in more than one area.

Below are the passing cut scores for TSIA as set by the state:

Mathematics: a minimum score of 350
Reading: a minimum score of 351
Writing: a score of 5 on the essay section or a score of 4 on the essay and a minimum score of 340 on the multiple-choice section

TSIA Exemptions

A student shall be exempt from taking the TSIA if the student has:

scored a composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the English test shall exempt both Reading and Writing sections of the TSIA;
scored a composite score of 23 with a minimum of 19 on the Math test shall exempt the Math section of the TSIA;
taken the SAT administered prior to March 2016 and earned a minimum score (verbal critical reading + math) SAT score of 1070, with a minimum score of 500 on both sections;
taken the SAT administered March 2016 and later and earned scores on the evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) assessment of 480, and a minimum score of 530 in Mathematics (no combined score needed);
a TAKS scale score of at least 2200 on the math section and/or 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a writing subsection score of at least 3;
Veterans, active duty personnel, and a student who is serving as and, for at least 3 years preceding enrollment, has served as a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed services;
Transfer from another institution having satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; or
Enrolled in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates) at a public institution.

Gifted and Talented

A gifted/talented (G/T) student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who

exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

The state's goal for G/T students is to ensure that those students who participate in G/T services demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication. G/T students develop innovative products and sophisticated performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are targeted to an audience outside the classroom.

GT Program Guide

G/T Identification Information

Current BHISD students may be referred for gifted and talented services each year. An online referral form will be posted on the website at the start of the referral window. The referral window will be announced on the website and through campus communication.
Transfer students that were previously identified as gifted and talented will have records requested and reviewed by our G/T Determination Committee prior to services being provided in BHISD.

GT Identification Information Meeting - English
GT Identification Information Meeting - Spanish

Gifted Education Family Network

Families of GT students statewide are invited to join a new network for Texas GT families!

The Gifted Education Family Network (GEFN) is a new opportunity for GT families to receive support, information, and connections with other families, facilitating positive advocacy for Texas GT programs, GT funding, and excellence in gifted education. GEFN is committed to equity and diversity in gifted education. We support the annual GT Parent Conference at the Baylor Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development and other low-cost opportunities for parent engagement across the state.

GT parents from all regions of Texas are invited to join us for free, to subscribe to our e-mail news (https://giftededucationfamilynetwork.org/subscribe/), to explore our website, and to follow us on social media (please visit our site for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram links: https://giftededucationfamilynetwork.org/).

Home School Students

Enrolling in BHISD from Home School

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) states that students transferring from home schools should be afforded the same treatment as students transferring from unaccredited private schools. Because Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.021 requires advancement or credit to be awarded on the basis of "academic achievement or demonstrated proficiency of the subject matter," the awarding of credit for courses taken may require reviewing the curriculum, course of study, and work of the student, or by using appropriate assessments.

If assessments are used for determining placement, Barbers Hill ISD will follow TEA’s guidance and utilize valid and reliable assessment instruments. Elementary students may be assessed with a nationally recognized norm-referenced test or by a previously released STAAR assessment for the appropriate grade level. Secondary students may be assessed using credit-by-examination methods for individual subject areas or by previously released STAAR end-of-course assessments.

Withdrawing from BHISD to Home School

Students are unenrolled from Barbers Hill ISD to home school when the campus receives signed withdrawal forms or letter. The dated withdrawal letter should include the date home schooling will begin and a parent or guardian signature. Additionally, BHISD requests assurances that the home school curriculum is designed to meet basic education goals including reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics, and a study of good citizenship. Parents or guardians may write their own letter or use the form below to present to the campus Registrar for withdrawal.

Statement of Assurance Regarding Home School
TAA - Home School Students 7.11.19

Note: The Texas Education Agency does not allow students to co-enroll in a Texas public school and home school; therefore, students participating in home school will be withdrawn from Barbers Hill ISD once the campus receives confirmation of home school enrollment.

Testing for Home School Students

Home school students residing within the Barbers Hill ISD school zone are eligible to participate in the PSAT/NMSQT and Advanced Placement exams in compliance with TEC §29.916.

PSAT/NMSQT

The annual administration of the PSAT/NMSQT is in October. Home school students should contact the Academic Dean of Testing at Barbers Hill High School for registration and fee information. The deadline for registration and payment is the second Friday in September.

For more information regarding the PSAT/NMSQT, please visit the College Board website.

College Board PSAT Information

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

AP exams measure the mastery of the content and skills of a specific AP course. These tests are generally offered during the first two weeks of May. College Board registration occurs in the fall semester. Home school students wishing to register for an AP exam should contact the College and Career Counselor at Barbers Hill High School for registration and exam fee information.

The standard registration deadline is November 1st. A $40 late fee will be assessed for registration after the standard deadline.

For more information about AP testing and the AP testing schedule, please visit the College Board website.

College Board AP Information

Foreign Exchange Students

The Barbers Hill ISD foreign exchange program provides students from other countries the opportunity to learn about the history of the United States, the workings of our government, and to become more fluent in both the written and spoken English language. Students are encouraged to take an active part in the academic experience and to explore the social and cultural opportunities in BHISD.

Prior to registration, students from other countries desiring a foreign exchange experience must first be approved as a foreign exchange student by the high school principal. Applications and requested documentation may be sent to the high school registrar.

Once approved, the host family must register the student online, providing the requirements requested. During the registration process, the campus registrar's office will contact the host family for any missing required documents. The registrar's office will provide academic records to the counselor, who will be completing class selection with the student and host family.

Barbers Hill Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Students