College Board, a non-profit organization that strives to improve student access to higher education, has honored CHS this year. Our school has been selected for the Advanced Placement (AP) District Honor Roll. This mark of distinction acknowledges our school’s commitment to advancing access for underrepresented students to AP classes. Underrepresented groups include Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders. A district must also sustain or increase the number of current students scoring a 3 or better on AP exams until the district reaches a criterion of 70%. Consideration for this accolade requires maintaining or improving the preceding categories during the previous three years, in this case, from 2015 through 2017. CHS is one of 447 schools or school districts who have received this award, which was announced on December 14, 2017.
Dr. Brett O’Connor, Principal, was very excited for staff and students achieving this recognition.
“We’re most proud of not only that we increased participation in the AP program,” O’Connor said. “We’re always trying to provide open access to enroll in these classes, and trying to limit the prerequisites to these classes so more students have access. We are giving all our students the opportunity to excel and leave here college-ready.”
CHS currently offers more than 18 AP classes that are designed with curriculum equivalent to an undergraduate college-level course. In addition, completing the AP exam with a score of 3 or more earns the student college credit. Furthermore, doing well in AP classes is considered an excellent indicator of future college success and is an asset on the student’s school record. In the past two years, CHS has also expanded the number of students taking at least one AP class by 116, from 940 to 1,056 and the number of exams taken by 274. 67 more students over the three year period also received an AP exam score of at least a 3.
Scarlett DeLao, an AP Statistics teacher, was delighted to hear that CHS is making such good progress in meeting AP standards.
“I’m honestly not surprised,” DeLao said. “The students are so hard-working. They really take pride in what they do. They deserve it.”
Anyone interested in taking an AP class can join the program. Also, a student doesn’t have to be enrolled in an AP class to take the AP exam. Having extensive knowledge about a subject allows a student to apply and take the exam.
CHS, however, is committed to furthering their progress toward AP goals. The school recognizes the need to continue to improve AP participation among underrepresented groups. CHS assures that information is readily accessible for student review and that AP courses are available to all interested students. Teachers, counselors, and administrators encourage enrollment in AP courses and AP exams for any student who is up to a challenge.