If some students fall behind in the pre-AP English class, tutoring will be available, she said. The student will remain in the same class but be given different assignments on their level, Boyd said.

Pre-AP in Dallas currently doesn't start until the seventh grade, but teachers say it has a significant impact, even beyond the students in designated pre-AP classes.

In the fall for the first time, the Blytheville Intermediate school will be offering Pre-AP courses for fifth graders as well as sixth graders.