For the first time, rising sophomores can expect to take Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics (AP US Government) in the 2026-27 school year, expanding underclassmen access to advanced coursework earlier.
While the course offering is not confirmed, Principal Shawn DeRose is “absolutely hopeful that [AHS] will be offering AP [US] Government next year.”
The addition of AP US Government, DeRose says, reflects AHS’s stronger instruction and support programs, which can prepare underclassmen for more rigorous coursework while strengthening their readiness for the IB program and college.
Furthermore, once the College Board, the organization that regulates AP courses, authorizes AHS to offer the class, rising sophomores would automatically enroll into AP US Government instead of US/VA Government Honors, similar to this year’s transition from English 10 Honors to AP Seminar. The course would offer a rigorous and in-depth focus on national government structures compared to the state-focused coursework of US/VA Government Honors, whose curriculum is developed by the Virginia Department of Education. Additionally, students who earn a score of three or above on the AP exam have the opportunity to earn college credits.
Yet the addition of AP US Government has sparked questions about whether sophomores are prepared for the demands of college-level coursework, as it is typically offered as a senior year class at other FCPS high schools.
However, the Director of Student Services, Erin Crowley, states that AP US Government is typically seen as a less rigorous AP course and “more accessible” to students. Despite the course being traditionally offered to seniors, Crowley said AHS plans to tailor it to sophomores during its pilot year.
“We recognize this is a new rigorous option for students and we want everybody to be set up for success and to support their own journey in accessing rigor so that it’s productive,” Crowley said.
Moreover, DeRose said academic support programs like PRIDE Time and Super Saturday would help students adjust to the increased workload associated with college-level coursework.
“You’re going to have great instruction and if you’re still struggling, you’re going to come to pride time. If it’s still not working, you’re going to stay after school and with your teachers and get help,” DeRose said. “We will not let you fail, but we’re going to teach you how to work hard and be successful.”
In preparation for this course, prospective government teachers, including Rachel Romasco, plan to attend a 40-hour AP Summer Institute training to learn College Board requirements and classroom structures. After reviewing some of the AP resources, Romasco suggested that students touch up on “knowledge retention, annotation and time management skills,” as the course will go into depth content-wise.
Still, the course sparked mixed feelings from rising sophomores since it will be an opt-out course and its expectations weren’t clearly communicated.
“I don’t know how the grading would work and I don’t know how that would work with a GPA boost,” freshman Nate Connelly said. “I’d just take it [but] I don’t want to take an AP test or whatever.”
Despite these concerns, English teacher Jessica Park, who teaches AP Seminar, believes that while AP courses are rigorous, they aren’t impossible to succeed in.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge for sophomores, but not necessarily one that students can’t rise to,” Park said. “[They] just have to be willing to do it.”
