Shepard students a huge part of new AP records in D218

Focused on equity, years ago District 218 administrators and faculty started encouraging more students to drop their perceived fears about Advanced Placement courses and accept a challenge: Try it and test your limits.

Opening enrollment to more students and helping them learn their capabilities greatly affected levels of participation in AP classes and success on exams.

The results have pleased everyone. Since 2009, when the district started tracking performance on AP exams, students annually have set new records.

Between 2009 and 2016, the number of students taking AP exams in District 218 rose every year. In 2009, the 398 students took AP exams, while last spring 856 did.

The number of exams taken also has risen dramatically. In 2009, students took 769 AP exams, for an average of 1.9 per student. Last spring, District 218 students took 1,756 for an average of 2.1 per student.

The number of AP Scholars, students honored by The College Board for passing at least three exams, in District 218 also rose in every school last spring. The number rose from 115 to 137, an increase of nearly 20 percent, from 2015 to 2016.

The district continues to see positive growth by expanding access for students to highly-demanding, and academically-intense courses like those offered through its AP program--this is in keeping with the district’s commitment to equitable opportunity and high academic expectations for its students,” wrote Curriculum Director for English Anthony Corsi, who coordinates the AP program, in his reporter to the Board of Education.

Corsi emphasized that the number of students participating in the AP program has continued to increase while scores have remained relatively consistent over the years.

“Given that most districts see a drop in aggregate AP scores as they increase the number of students participating in the courses, the fact our scores have remained stable indicates that the district’s teachers have maintained high expectations and high levels of academic rigor for their classes while still meeting the challenge of increasing numbers of AP students,” he wrote.

The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on AP exams.

Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both based on successful performance on the AP Exams. More than 1,400 institutions award a full year’s credit (sophomore standing) to students presenting a sufficient number of qualifying grades.

Caption: Shepard High School science teacher Laura Chatzivasiliadis works with students in her AP Biology class. Her students performed exceptionally last spring on the AP exam.