Durham Public Schools Advanced Placement performance on the rise
October 3, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dr. Bert L’Homme, Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services, 560-3716
DURHAM--Both the participation and success rates of Durham Public Schools students who take Advanced Placement (AP) examinations have significantly increased over the last five years.
Figures released by Durham Public Schools’ Departments of Testing and Evaluation reveal that the number of students taking AP exams has increased by 30.3 percent since the 1996-97 school year and, in fact, 104.3 percent since 1992-93. The average success rate of 67.3 percent increased by 10.3 percentage points over the 2000-01 school year.
Advanced Placement exams are given at the end of Advanced Placement courses to offer students the opportunity to gain course credit upon entrance to college. The success rate is based on the number of students achieving a score of 3 or higher.
Highlights 2001-02 AP exam results include:
An increase of 10.3 percentage points over the 2000-01 overall success rate. The average rate for students in 2001-02 was 67.3 percent, compared to 57 percent one year earlier.
A success rate of more than 70 percent at Jordan and Riverside High Schools, and at Durham School of the Arts.
"As we focus our efforts around raising achievement levels for all students, we must continue to bolster the degree of academic rigor and higher level course offerings," said Superintendent Ann T. Denlinger. "Our 2001-02 Advanced Placement exam results are a strong indication that we are providing such challenges for an increasing number of students."
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Attachments:
Table I, Advanced Placement Exams: Participation
Table II, Advanced Placement Exams: Success Rates
Table III, No. of Students Taking AP Exams by School
Table IV, Percent of Students Earning Grades of 3 or Higher on AP Exams
Table V, Distribution of AP Exams Taken and Average Scores by Ethnicity
