Unlike most high schools in the state, Lexington High School does not offer any Advanced Placement (AP) English courses—despite offering various AP and Honors options in other core subjects. Recently, students have begun to question how the absence of these courses may affect students, especially those interested in the humanities. 

However, when taking into consideration the creative freedom, greater flexibility, and more discussion-oriented classes that the current LHS English system offers, AP English Courses are not necessary for the curriculum. 

Currently, the department intentionally prioritizes developing essential skills in literature rather than preparing students for a standardized exam. The department believes that offering a multitude of Honors English courses covering a wide range of topics instead of an AP English class helps students become stronger readers, writers, and thinkers. 

“We as a department have been proud to offer strong, rigorous courses to students without feeling the need to change our approach and enter that AP world. I’ve seen AP culture take a real toll on student wellbeing and an organic approach to academics,” Abigail Coyne, an English teacher at LHS, said. 

The English department offers a variety of senior-year English elective courses, allowing students to have a choice in exploring different areas that they are interested in. Many teachers acknowledged students’ desires for even more choice in the courses they take. 

“If, down the road, there’s a way to bring in more choice into our curriculum, I’d be all for that,” Joshua Olivier-Mason, an English teacher, said. 

Many new electives for students interested in diving deeper into the language arts are being implemented, allowing students the flexibility to expand their horizons. 

“Teachers are designing new electives to offer almost every year. While we may pursue shifts in the structure of electives or the offerings available to students, we will continue to use our instructional judgement to make choices in support of our whole student population,” Coyne said. 

However, some humanities-oriented students have differing opinions. 

“I think it’s kind of disappointing [that LHS does not offer advanced English courses], because I feel like English is such a fun class to explore creative freedom, and it sucks that some people are not allowed to showcase that at a more advanced level,” Vyushti Khetan, a junior, said. 

Ultimately, while the lack of AP English courses may feel limiting to humanities-oriented students, without the constraints of an AP curriculum or exam, teachers can prioritize deeper discussion within classrooms, more flexible development of reading and writing skills, and creative exploration. 

 The freedom to diverge from the rigidity of an AP curriculum gives LHS students a richer English education that benefits students. For these reasons, maintaining the school’s current English curriculum supports a more balanced learning experience.