The College Board recently recognized Rockdale County Public Schools on its 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll for both increasing AP class access and seeing growth in student scores. Only seven out of Georgia's 179 districts and 539 across the U.S and Canada achieved this honor.

The College Board recognizes districts that simultaneously increase access to Advanced Placement course work while increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams. A statement from the College Board said that achieving both of these goals is the ideal scenario for a district’s AP program because it indicates that the district is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit most from rigorous AP course work.

“It is great to be recognized for our efforts on a national level,” said RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry. “We have made it a priority in our district to expose all students to more rigorous coursework and Advanced Placement is one way to achieve this at the high school level. I am extremely proud of the work of our students and teachers who have shown their commitment to excellence through these results. We will continue to focus on increasing options, opportunities, and access for students so that they may be better prepared for future college and career success.”

“We applaud the extraordinary efforts of the devoted teachers and administrators in these 539 districts, who are fostering rigorous work worth doing. These educators have not only expanded student access to AP course work, but they have enabled more of their students to achieve on a college level—which is helping to create a strong college-going culture,” said College Board President David Coleman.

Inclusion on the 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2010 to 2012 for the following criteria:

Districts must:
1) Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts and at least 11 percent in small districts;
2) Ensure that the percentage of African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students taking AP Exams did not decrease by more than 5 percent for large and medium districts or by more than 10 percent for small districts;
3) Improve performance levels when comparing the percentage of students in 2012 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2010, unless the district has already attained a performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.

In addition, RCPS has been noted for these outcomes having been achieved among an AP student population made up of 30 percent or more underrepresented minority students (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native) and 30 percent or more low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch).

The complete 3rd Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found at http://press.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/files/ap-honor-roll-111312.pdf.