Alternate Programs and Educational Opportunities

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are equivalent to university level courses. They are rigorous and are taught at an accelerated pace. Students will be expected to read and write in a critical fashion, analyze data, synthesize ideas, solve problems, and evaluate issues. Students should realistically expect a substantial amount of homework. Those who elect AP courses should be academically talented, highly motivated, and have a strong inclination for the subject. The students are encouraged to take the national standardized Advanced Placement Test offered by the College Board. 

ALL ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES ADHERE TO COLLEGE BOARD REQUIREMENTS.

AP courses are offered in European, World, and United States History, English, Psychology, Calculus, Computer Science, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Music Theory, French, German, Spanish World Languages, Art History, and Studio Art.

Alternative Programs for High School Credit

There are occasions when a student may wish to obtain academic credit to fulfill graduation requirements or for personal enrichment. All courses taken for credit must be submitted to the student’s counselor for approval by the district coordinator and building principal prior to enrollment in order to ensure the granting of Council Rock High School credit or the acceptance of credit by the Council Rock School District. It is important to note that courses taken outside of Council Rock are not counted in the calculation of grade point average.  Students may not accelerate their sequence of study without approval from the district coordinator.  Only courses needed to fulfill graduation requirements will be included on the transcript.  Approval must be submitted by April 4th. 

 Options for these classes are listed below:

• Summer School
• Private Tutoring
• Standard Evening High School
• Bucks County Community College
• Private Accredited Evening and Day Schools

**Please note, students who wish to take their Physical Education requirement outside of Council Rock must complete the course by the first day of school in the year that it is required. No online class will be accepted or approved as an appropriate alternative to Physical Education 9-11-12. Students must fill out an ‘Alternative Request Form’ available in the counseling office and obtain approval prior to starting this course.

Bucks County Community College High School Enrichment Program

Occasionally, a student may choose to schedule a course(s) at Bucks County Community College (BCCC), which requires special scheduling and administrative approval. Interested students should see their counselor for information regarding eligibility for enrollment, as the college has specific requirements for participation in this program. (This is not Dual Enrollment).

College Accelerated Program (CAP)

Council Rock students who gain admission to college at the end of their junior year can receive their Council Rock diploma with their original class by substituting appropriate college credits for remaining graduation credits. Students interested in this program should obtain further information from their counselor. Articulation between Council Rock graduation requirements and college courses is essential.

College Credits (^)

On-Site Dual Enrollment at Council Rock High Schools 

Council Rock School District has entered into a Dual Enrollment Agreement with Gwynedd Mercy University and Bucks County Community College.  Select Council Rock faculty members have been authorized by the university to teach Gwynedd Mercy and Bucks County Community College courses at Council Rock during regular school hours.

The cost is $400 per course for Gwynedd Mercy University, which is forwarded to Gwynedd Mercy University, and $375 a course for Bucks County Community College, which is paid online.

A student seeking this opportunity should understand that the grade awarded for the Council Rock course will be reported on the high school report card and the same grade will be reported to the university/college and appear on an official college transcript to be provided to the student by Gwynedd Mercy University or Bucks County Community College. 

The courses offered with a dual enrollment option are:

• Honors Accounting: Gwynedd Mercy University, Principles of Accounting ACC 105
• Honors Business Management: Gwynedd Mercy University, Principles of Management BUS 301
• Honors Marketing: Gwynedd Mercy University, Principles of Marketing BUS 207
• Accelerated Computers for College and Careers: Gwynedd Mercy University, Intro to Desktop Computing CIS 101
• Honors Finance: Bucks County Community College, Business Finance MGMT 190
• Accelerated Business Law: Bucks County Community College, Business Law MGMT 130
• Introduction to Business: Bucks County Community College, Introduction to Business MGMT 100
• Off-Site Dual Enrollment on College Campuses  

Periodically, Council Rock is awarded a Dual Enrollment grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This grant allows junior and senior students to attain transferable college credit from cooperating institutions of higher education while concurrently earning credit toward high school graduation. Grant monies permit our students to attend these classes at the college with reduced rate. 

University of Iowa College Credit

College Credit from University of Iowa: The University of Iowa’s BizInnovator program offers all students enrolled in approved courses the opportunity to earn three college credits if they pass the University of Iowa proficiency exam at the end of the course. Students who pass the exam have until one year after graduating high school to apply to Iowa for the credits and pay the $150 tuition fee. There is no fee for the proficiency exam.

The course offered for college credit with Iowa is:

• Accelerated Entrepreneurship: University of Iowa, Exploring Entrepreneurship ENTR 1010

Cooperative Education

The Cooperative Work Experience Program is a unique learning opportunity that extends classroom learning into business, industry, and the community. The opportunity to experience the workplace helps students explore career options and gather the information they need to make informed decisions about post-secondary goals.

The Cooperative Work Experience Program allows students to pursue employment in an area of their career interest. The counselor, student, parent or guardian, and the Career Education Coordinator will determine a combined program of academics and work release time. Credit toward graduation will be granted for successful completion of this program. Each student’s progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis and includes the following: written evaluations from the employer, on-site visitations to observe the student, telephone evaluations with the employer, classroom instruction, and a career experience portfolio.

Students will be required to attend a mandatory Cooperative Work Experience class each day. Class presentations and discussions will include interview techniques, applications, résumés, job safety, work labor relations, potential job placements, budgets, taxes, etc. Students are required to have the appropriate paperwork completed for an approved job. Each student must have working papers and a training agreement signed by the parent or guardian, the employer, the student-learner, as well as the Career Education Coordinator, and counselor, in order to participate in the Cooperative Work Experience Program.

Early Graduation

The Early Graduation Program at Council Rock High School provides students the opportunity to complete the requirements for graduation from Council Rock by January of their senior year or June of their junior year. The program is open to any student who desires to accelerate high school completion to enroll at institutions of higher learning, vocational or trade schools, or to enter the world of work. Students may find this option severely limited due to the graduation requirements.

To qualify for early graduation, students must successfully complete all graduation requirements (as stated elsewhere in this handbook) by their expected date of graduation. Students should contact their counselor for applications and further information. All arrangements should be made during the normal program planning calendar. The deadline for considering this option is the third week of school.

Gifted Education

Pennsylvania Code (22 Pa. Code Chapter 16) recognizes that gifted students are considered to be “children with exceptionalities” under the Public School Code of 1949 and are in need of specially designed instruction. As part of this code, school districts in the state of Pennsylvania must provide specially designed instruction and educational programs to students who have been evaluated and identified as meeting the definition of mentally gifted, as guided by the aforementioned school code. As a child with an exceptionality, the gifted student’s curriculum is appropriately modified on an individual basis through a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP.) The responsibility for the implementation of each GIEP is shared between all of a gifted student’s teachers. A GIEP might include individualized goals related to acceleration, enrichment, and/or individualization.  

In an effort to provide gifted students an opportunity to broaden and deepen their knowledge through interaction with their intellectual peers, the Council Rock School District offers these students an opportunity to select courses specifically designed for students with this designation.  Gifted students are not required to enroll in the identified courses.  However, for a student to be eligible to enroll in any of the courses listed below, the student must be identified as gifted with a GIEP that specifies their need for acceleration, enrichment, and/or individualization.  The Council Rock School District provides gifted students at the high school level two opportunities per grade level to enroll in a core course with their intellectual peers. For a listing of courses, please see the following chart.  For a detailed description of each course, please see the course offerings by curricular area (page numbers identified in the table of contents.)  

Gifted Courses by Grade Level:

Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT)

Our campus at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology offers a complete array of career, technical, and pre-professional courses to enhance the academic program of all students. The Middle Bucks Campus is located on Old York Road in Jamison, Warwick Township. The school is operated jointly by four participating school districts: Centennial, Central Bucks, Council Rock, and New Hope-Solebury. The school provides both a morning and afternoon program with students spending the other half of the day at their sending high school where they continue to be an integral part; studying their required subjects and participating in co-curricular and interscholastic activities. Students entering 10th, 11th or 12th grades are eligible to apply for admission. Transportation to Middle Bucks is provided by the school district.

MBIT Career Development Experiences

Depending on individual career plans and goals, students may enroll for one-, two-, or three-year experiences. Students whose career plans include college will find any of the career programs to be meaningful and appropriate enhancements to a college prep curriculum.  Furthermore, the programs available at Middle Bucks provide opportunities for students to earn college advanced credits to many well-known colleges and universities.  Partnership agreements are in place for advanced credit in associate and/or baccalaureate programs at colleges including, but not limited to:  Bucks County Community College, Delaware Valley University, Gwynedd Mercy University, Johnson & Wales University, and Pennsylvania College of Technology, a Penn State affiliate.

Middle Bucks also offers nationally recognized industry certifications in each program available to students who wish to begin employment immediately after school or while continuing their education.  All programs provide internship, clinical, or other work-based experiences in business and industry allowing students to gain additional on-the-job training.

MBIT Admission

Students must complete a Middle Bucks application to be considered for admission. Selection is based on completion of selected prerequisites, aptitude and achievement scores, interest inventories, attendance records, behavior patterns, and personal essay.  Selected programs require prerequisites. Applications are available at www.mbit.org under Admissions.

MBIT Educational Program

The educational program at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology is organized into ten career clusters and twenty-three career pathways (i.e., major courses of study). Typically, students enroll in one career pathway as their major field of study, then complete a core set of courses common to the career cluster and a highly rigorous technical sequence of courses related to their career pathway. Students may complete additional specialized courses as they advance beyond standard secondary curriculum. The career cluster model is recognized as one of the most effective educational initiatives for preparing young people for the working world.

MBIT Assessment

Assessment services are intended to help students make career decisions by identifying their technical aptitudes and interests and are offered to students in our four sending districts as well as to adults. A testing center has been established at MBIT with staff trained in test administration and interpretation. For more information, or to have your child tested, please contact either your child’s school counselor or MBIT’s school counselor.

 Architecture & Construction Career Cluster 

Pathways:

• Building Trades Occupations 
• Residential Construction Carpentry
• Computerized Drafting & Engineering Graphics
• Electrical Technology
• Plumbing & Heating Technology
• Horticulture Landscape and Design

Arts, A/V Technology & Communications Career Cluster 

Pathways:

• Commercial Art & Advertising Design
• Multimedia Technology

Health Science Career Cluster

Pathways:

• Dental Occupations
• Medical & Health Professions
• Sports Therapy & Exercise Management  

Hospitality Career Cluster 

Pathway: Culinary Arts & Sciences

Human Services Career Cluster

Pathways:

• Cosmetology
• Early Childhood Care & Education

Information Technology Career Cluster

Pathways:

• Networking & Operating Systems Security
• Web Design and Interactive Media

Law, Public Safety & Security Career Cluster 

Pathway: Public Safety

Manufacturing Career Cluster

Pathway: Welding Technology

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Career Cluster

Pathway: Engineering Related Technology 

Transportation, Distribution, & Logistics Career Cluster 

Pathways:

• Automotive Technology
• Collision Repair Technology

Service Learning: Learning in Neighborhood Community Service (LINCS)

Council Rock School District has enjoyed a successful history of involvement with our community. Significant community service projects have taken place through student service organizations, student government, school projects, and individual student initiatives. 

In addition, students are eligible to voluntarily participate in a formalized service learning program. Specifically, students between the end of eighth grade and the end of twelfth grade who complete a minimum of 60 hours of community service at a pre-approved agency with a supervisor whose clearances are on file with the district, will receive formal recognition through documentation which will appear on official school records. 

It is our intent to encourage students to participate in an activity to which Council Rock is strongly committed. For more information, contact the LINCS Coordinator at each high school.

Special Education

Council Rock High Schools offer a range of special education programs designed to meet the diverse learning and developmental needs of students. For those eligible for special education services, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) outlines each student’s academic plan, related services, and supports. Placement in appropriate academic and elective courses (including but not limited to Prescriptive Reading, Prescriptive Math, Writing, Study Skills, and Social Skills) is determined by the IEP team.

These prescriptive classes provide a replacement curriculum tailored to each learner’s present levels of academic and functional performance. Instruction is aligned with IEP goals and focuses on essential skill development through targeted interventions, scaffolded learning opportunities, and evidence-based teaching practices. Content, pacing, and instructional materials are adapted to ensure meaningful access to the curriculum and consistent progress toward identified outcomes. Students receive instruction in a structured, responsive environment that supports growth across academic, behavioral, social, and functional domains.

Council Rock’s broader continuum of services includes Autistic Support, Emotional Support, Learning Support, Intensive Learning Support, Multiple Disabilities Support, and Life Skills Support. The IEP team works collaboratively with families to determine the most appropriate combination of classes and services to ensure each student’s success.​​​​​​​

STEM Pathways (#)

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related careers have become increasingly important in Pennsylvania, the United States, and across the globe. Council Rock has adopted the Carnegie Science Center’s definition of STEM, which focuses on project-based group learning, solving real-world problems by integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics using teamwork, communication, creativity, innovation, problem-solving and critical thinking. Our core courses in Mathematics and Science incorporate STEM principles to build a foundation for STEM-related fields. Additionally, the following elective courses are identified specifically as STEM courses.