PSJA administrator says AP courses let students earn college credit, including an eighth-grade Spanish option

A PHARR-SAN JUAN-ALAMO ISD administrator said students in the district can earn college credit by taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and passing AP exams.

The administrator told listeners that AP is administered by the College Board, is a national program, and that students who complete AP courses and score a 3, 4 or 5 on the exam may earn college credit. "Advanced placement is part of the College Board, which is a national program for students," the administrator said.

The administrator said there are more than 38 AP courses offered nationally and that PSJA provides dozens of those classes. Students must complete the yearlong course and then take the AP exam in May, which the administrator described as scored from 1 to 5.

On how AP credit transfers, the administrator said the credit earned through strong AP exam scores generally transfers across the United States. "Not just here in Texas, it transfers anywhere in the United States," the administrator said.

The administrator highlighted a local example: PSJA offers the AP Spanish Language and Culture course to many students beginning in eighth grade. "We have over 500 students across our eight middle schools that do take that," the administrator said, adding that typically about 65% of those students earn a 3 or higher on the exam, making them eligible for college credit.

No formal action or vote was recorded in the exchange; the remarks were informational and described course availability, exam timing, scoring, and participation levels in PSJA.