APBP Advanced Accounting

AICPA ACCOUNTING PROGRAM FOR BUILDING THE PROFESSION (APBP)

Modeled after a class developed by Dr. Dan Deines at Kansas State University, the APBP Advanced Accounting program provides high-school accounting and business teachers with the tools needed to implement a higher-level accounting curriculum in their classrooms.

What is APBP?

The Accounting Program for Building the Profession (APBP)'s advanced accounting curriculum is a two-semester, honors-level high school course that integrates managerial and financial accounting to show how accounting facilitates business and narrates a company's inner workings through its financial statements.

A detailed list of the topics covered in this course can be found in this sample rubric.

APBP trained teachers can access the educator resources here.

How will this program benefit my students?

AICPA research has found the first accounting course high school students take greatly impacts their decision to pursue accounting as a major and career choice.

Many high school accounting classes still focus on bookkeeping and do not adequately prepare students for the rigor of college-level courses. The APBP curriculum introduces students to advanced content, challenges students to think critically, and gives them a more realistic idea of accounting as a career.

How do I get the advanced accounting curriculum approved at my school?

Need help getting administrators, students, and parents on board? The APBP Implementation Package contains guides, proposals and marketing materials geared towards students, parents and school officials to articulate how the program can better prepare students for careers in business and accounting.

APBP Implementation Package

Getting Started

Ready to implement APBP in your school and classroom? We're here to help with these resources tailored to just that. First, take a look at this How-To Guide which will tell you how to use each piece of the implementation package. Then, move along to customizable Program Proposal Letters which can be tailored to inform key decision-makers of the benefits of bringing APBP to your school. Lastly, check out the Marketing Tools and Resources section below to get the files you need to present APBP to stakeholders and attract students to the class.

How to use Guide (PDF)

This guide will tell you how to use all pieces of the implementation package.

Program Proposal Letters

Need to get key decision makers on board and not sure where to start? Whether you are presenting the program to your Principal for approval or informing Parents and Counselors of your new Advanced Accounting course, download a Program Proposal Letter template and personalize it for the recipient. And if you know a CPA who would like to see Advanced Accounting offered at your school, be sure to check out the “APBP Supporter Letter” which they can use to raise awareness of the program.

Principal Letter

This letter introduces the course, details its success so far and outlines the benefits of incorporating it into your school’s business curriculum.

Counselor Letter

You’re not just looking for kids who are good at math. Use this letter to provide counselors with a more accurate portrayal of the accounting profession and the types of individuals needed for the profession today.

Parent Letter

Share this letter with students’ parents to easily explain what your advanced accounting course provides and why it would be beneficial to their child’s high school education.

APBP Supporter Letter

Share this customizable letter with CPAs or your students’ parents if they would like to see an advanced accounting course offered at your school. Let your principal hear from them!

Marketing Tools & Resources

This section contains a library of materials you may need to implement APBP at your school. From buy-in from stakeholders to student recruitment, these resources will help pique the interest of all involved.

PowerPoint Presentation

Ideal for a presentation to the school board or other group of stakeholders, this deck is designed to get you the buy-in you need.

Flyer (PDF)

Print a stack of flyers to share during your school board presentation or as an attachment to the Program Proposal Letters above.

Course Description

This course isn’t bookkeeping. Tell students and parents what they can expect in your Advanced Accounting course.

Recruitment Poster (Online or PDF)

Hang this in your classroom, the hallways, or anywhere students congregate to pique their interest in the diverse possibilities of a career in accounting.