Most schools and districts across the U.S. offer honors classes, but only 70 percent offer at least one AP course out of the 38. Schools across the nation, along with our very own Moanalua High School, have begun to stop offering honors courses in an attempt to reduce inequality and segregation of students based on academic achievement. 

This is where honors courses come in, they offer more of a challenge and prepare students for AP courses. Last month during class registration season, it was announced that for the 2026-2027 school year, Moanalua High School will be eliminating all honors courses.​​ Removal of honors courses leaves only AP (Advanced Placement) courses for those who seek more of a challenge. AP courses are considered college credits, so they can take a huge toll on students, they have a greater weight on your GPA (scored on a 5.0 scale rather than 4.0). They also come with required AP tests, and In 2022 only 34.6% of high school students took AP tests. These higher level classes can be extremely intimidating for students, pushing them towards enrolling in honors classes instead.  

This choice came as a surprise to many students and faculty members. 

“I had no idea about this at all,” commented Raaj Chavez (11). 

Additionally, some current teachers voiced that the change felt rushed. 

“The decision to not offer honors courses happened a little too quickly. It was brought up only recently, maybe a year or so ago. For it to change so quickly felt a little too early,” says Kevin Suzuki, a chemistry teacher on campus.

While the motive behind the decision may be to bridge the gap in education and separation of students, it may actually do the exact opposite. Honors classes are considered to be a middle ground between AP and standard courses, with a large majority who take them being underclassmen who are not yet offered AP courses. Some students believe that honors classes provide an alternative to more difficult AP classes. 

“If people aren’t ready for an AP, but they still want to challenge themselves, then honors classes would be a great way to do that,” stated Chavez. 

A majority of students seem to believe that the decision to eliminate honors classes was not beneficial to them. 

“I’m smart; I deserve to take honors classes,” Jaeda Stroud (9) said. This change unfortunately derailed many students’ future academic plans, forcing them to consider other options. “I was thinking of taking honors [classes] next year,” Stroud added. 

A freshman, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “This negatively impacts me a lot. Honors classes help me advance as a student in my academics by challenging me.”

However, not all Menes felt the same way. Honors classes provide a more rigorous course load than regular classes, which may pose a challenge to students. 

Alohanani Kuwamura (9) commented that honors classes can be “a little harder on students. I know it’s setting us up for the future, but it’s affecting us mentally and putting a lot of pressure on us.” 

A different approach was brought to light by Javis Gima (12), who suggested that “it could be the right move, [and the school] could save more resources for better things.”

In an effort to come up with a solution, students suggested several alternatives to the complete dismissal of honors classes. Chavez argued for a student survey to “see what the majority of students have to say.” 

Changes to curriculum were also mentioned, with one freshman saying, “They could tie more advanced topics into the normal classes as an option.” Rather than flat out removal, Stroud suggested that the school should “offer less honors courses instead.” Whether these suggestions have the potential to sway the decision is unlikely, but not impossible.

Throughout my high school years, I have taken multiple honors classes. They’ve allowed me to improve my learning as a student, as well as surround myself with peers who share the same dedication to their academics as I do. I’ve met some of my best friends and most passionate teachers in these classes. Taking classes at a higher level also prepared me for AP classes and prevented me from shocking myself with a harsh transition. Although it is true that with honors classes come many academic challenges, I’d be lying if I said they did not facilitate my growth as a high achieving student. 

Personally, the decision to completely remove honors classes from Moanalua came as an unwelcome shock. Although as an upperclassman, my focus has shifted from honors to more difficult AP classes, I understand how this decision might negatively impact our younger students seeking to challenge themselves. There is too wide of an academic gap between regular classes and AP classes; our school needs to continue to offer a level that bridges that gap and gives students more control over their education. 

Although the true intention behind the removal of honors classes is still under speculation, students have made their guesses. Some believe that it might push people towards taking AP classes, others say that it could be because not enough students are taking honors classes, lessening the demand. Despite the decision being out of their hands, the student body has made their beliefs clear: Moanalua must honor the honors classes.