Walt Whitman High Again Named AP School Honor Roll School, Wins Silver Distinction

SOUTH HUNTINGTON, NY — Walt Whitman High School has again been named to the Advanced Placement School Honor Roll, earning Silver recognition for 2025, school officials announced.

The College Board’s AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering strong academic results while also broadening student participation. To receive the distinction, schools must meet or exceed benchmarks in three areas: College Culture, College Credit, and College Optimization.

Headquartered in New York City, the College Board develops and administers standardized tests such as the SAT and PSAT, along with Advanced Placement courses and exams used nationwide to prepare students for college-level coursework and potential college credit.

“This recognition means we keep moving towards our goal of having every student here at Walt Whitman High School take an AP exam and get used to post-secondary work within their high school coursework, which better prepares them for college,” Principal Dr. John Murphy said. “I know they will find greater success if they're introduced to this advanced level of coursework while they’re still in high school. It’s a more structured environment with us and they’ll get the additional support they need to succeed which they would not normally get in a post-secondary institution.”

According to the district, Walt Whitman exceeded criteria in all three measurement areas. Fifty-eight percent of graduating seniors took at least one AP exam, surpassing the College Culture threshold of 50%. Fifty percent scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam, well above the College Credit benchmark of 30%. Students typically earn college credit with a score of 3 or higher.

In the College Optimization category, 25% of seniors took five or more AP exams, with at least one exam completed in ninth or 10th grade, exceeding the minimum 5% threshold.

Walt Whitman currently offers 34 AP courses across core academic subjects, the arts and AP Capstone. District officials said expanding access and encouraging enrollment among historically underrepresented student groups has been a long-term priority. Approximately 60% of the school’s student population identifies as Hispanic/Latino or Black/African American.

The South Huntington School District previously earned national recognition from the National School Boards Association for increasing diversity in its AP program. In 2023, the district received a Silver Magna Award for its Voluntary Advanced Preparation program, which over a 10-year period led to a 42% increase in AP exams given and a 34% increase in the number of students taking AP courses and exams.

“It’s taken a lot of effort from our students, our staff and our families to understand and change that culture around AP coursework equity, but that culture has changed,” Murphy said. “I value the work that’s been done to make sure that all our students are seen as a force, both within and outside our community, of educated young adults who have post-secondary dreams after high school, and will succeed in them.”