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Congratulations to the Avon Local Schools — one of 447 school districts in the U.S. and Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the 8th Annual AP® District Honor Roll. To be included on the 8th Annual Honor Roll, The Avon Local Schools had to, since 2015, increase the number of students participating in AP (Advanced Placement), while also increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. Reaching these goals shows that this district is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are ready for AP.
This is the third time the district has made the list. Currently, Avon High School offers 18 AP courses.
“We are proud to be recognized for this honor,” said Mike Laub, Avon Local Schools superintendent. “Our students and staff should be commended for their hard work. Our district takes a great deal of pride in the opportunities we provide to our students and we plan to continue to grow our AP opportunities.”
Helping more students learn at a higher level and earn higher AP scores is an objective of all members of the AP community, from AP teachers to district and school administrators to college professors. Many districts are experimenting with initiatives and strategies to see how they can expand access and improve student performance at the same time.
“Our high school administrative team continues to provide rigorous course offerings and we are fortunate that we have teachers that take on the additional training and hold these courses to a high standard for our students,” said Ben Hodge, Avon Local Schools assistant superintendent. “This is an incredible honor for our students as they continue to perform at high levels.”
Avon High School principal, Kristina Buller, also praised the high school staff for their efforts.
“The faculty of Avon High School continues to explore the College Board AP opportunities for our Eagles, as the curriculum is universally accepted at institutions of higher learning,” said Buller. “Each year, for the last six years I have been principal, our Board of Education and has permitted me to expand our offerings. Instruction in an AP course often parallels or exceeds college level courses. Avon students prove they have a propensity to thrive in these environments, although the courses are very demanding. I am incredibly pleased with the dedication of faculty who facilitate these courses. ”
In 2017, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, advanced placement, or both, and/or consideration in the admissions process. Inclusion in the 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on a review of three years of AP data, from 2015 to 2017, looking across 38 AP Exams, including world language and culture. The following criteria were used.
Districts must:
- Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4% in large districts, at least 6% in medium districts, and at least 11% in small districts;
- Increased or maintained the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students taking exams and increased or maintained the percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students scoring 3+ on at least one AP Exam; and
- Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2017 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2015 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70% of its AP students earn a 3 or higher.
“Congratulations to all the educators and administrators in this district who have worked to clear a path for more students of all backgrounds to participate and succeed in AP,” said Trevor Packer, head of AP and Instruction. “These educators and administrators are fostering a culture in their schools and classrooms that allows students to face new challenges and build the confidence to succeed.”
The complete 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found here: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/score-reports-data/awards/honor-roll
