District Recognized Nationally for Ranking on AP Honor Roll

The is one of 367 public school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on the second Annual AP Honor Roll.

The award was given for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of three or higher on AP exams.

Since 2009, the district increased the number of students participating in AP from 206 in 2009 to 265 in 2011, while increasing the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher from 67 percent in 2009 to 76 percent in 2011, according to a press release.

“This school district has achieved something very remarkable. It managed to open the doors of its AP classrooms to many more students, while also increasing the percentage of students earning high enough AP Exam grades to stand out in the competitive college admission process and qualify for college credit and placement,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of Advanced Placement and college readiness.

The majority of U.S. colleges and universities grant college credit or advanced placement for a score of 3 or above on AP exams.

“I wish to congratulate our students, teachers and administrators for a job well done! The increased academic rigor and higher expectations for academic achievement throughout the district is obviously paying dividends and enhancing student performance,” said Superintendent Russ Jones.

The honor roll is made up of only public school districts that are both expanding opportunity and improving performance and only 367 in 43 states and Canada were included.

“Participation in college-level AP courses can level the playing field for underserved students, give them the confidence needed to succeed in college, and raise standards and performance in key subjects like science and math,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “The AP Honor Roll districts are defying expectations by expanding access while enabling their students to maintain or improve their AP Exam scores.”

Criteria to be on the honor roll:

1. Examination of three years of AP data, from 2009 to 2011.
2. Increase in participation in/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts and at least 11 percent in small districts.
3. A steady or increasing percentage of exams taken by African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students
4. Performance levels maintained or improved when comparing the percentage of students in 2011 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2009, or the school has already attained a performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.