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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – The Washington Township School District has once again found itself in elite company as one of 425 school districts in the United States and Canada named to the College Board’s 7th Annual Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Roll. The award is presented each year to districts that are able to expand access to AP courses to a more diverse group of learners while simultaneously improving performance. The honor is the third for the District, which also was honored in 2012 and 2016. The Washington Township School District, which currently offers 21 advanced placement courses at Washington Township High School, was one of only 40 districts in New Jersey to earn the current honor roll distinction and one of two districts in Gloucester County to be recognized.
To be included on the 7th Annual Honor Roll, Washington Township had to, since 2014, increase the number of students participating in AP while also increasing or maintaining the number of students earning AP exam scores of 3 or higher.
“Congratulations, once again, to the high school on this remarkable achievement,” Superintendent of Schools Joe Bollendorf said. “This AP Honor Roll status is not easily attained, and this recognition speaks volumes to the sustained commitment to our AP curriculum.”
National data from 2016 indicates that among African American, Hispanic and Native American students with a high degree of readiness for AP, only about half of students are participating. The first step to delivering the opportunity of AP to students is providing access by ensuring courses are available, that gatekeeping stops, and that the doors are equitably opened so these students can participate. Washington Township is committed to expanding the availability of AP courses among prepared and motivated students of all backgrounds.
“The continued growth of our AP program at Washington Township High School has been a team effort. Our Board of Education has embraced and supported several key initiatives that have proven crucial to this success,” said WTHS Executive Assistant Principal of the 11/12 wing Jonathan Strout, who served as WTHS Director of Counseling in 2015-16. “The tireless efforts of our teachers, counselors, supervisors and administration in collectively working to remove barriers and support student enrollment in these courses has been paramount to the success our students are having.
“Nothing is more gratifying than hearing from graduates who are able to report the positive impact their participation in the AP program has had on them in college,” Strout added “There is no doubt that our investment in AP has led to remarkable dividends for our students and their families.”
In 2016, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, advanced placement, and/or consideration in the admission process, with many colleges and universities in the United States offering credit in one or more subjects for qualifying AP scores.
Inclusion on the 7th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2014 to 2016, looking across 37 AP Exams, including world language and culture. The following criteria were used.
Districts must:
• 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;
• Increase or maintain the percentage of exams taken by black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students; and
• Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2016 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2014 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70 percent of its AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.
When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population in which 30 percent or more are underrepresented minority students (black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native) and/or 30 percent or more are low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.
“Congratulations to all the teachers and administrators in this district who have worked so tirelessly to both expand access to AP and also to help students succeed on the AP Exams,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s head of AP and Instruction. “These teachers and administrators are delivering real opportunity in their schools and classrooms, and students are rising to the challenge.”
The complete honor roll can be found at www.collegeboard.com.
- WTPS -
AP Accomplishments Honored
Washington Township High School Named to CollegeBoard's Seventh Annual AP Honor Roll
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP – The Washington Township School District has once again found itself in elite company as one of 425 school districts in the United States and Canada named to the College Board’s 7th Annual Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Roll. The award is presented each year to districts that are able to expand access to AP courses to a more diverse group of learners while simultaneously improving performance. The honor is the third for the District, which also was honored in 2012 and 2016. The Washington Township School District, which currently offers 21 advanced placement courses at Washington Township High School, was one of only 40 districts in New Jersey to earn the current honor roll distinction and one of two districts in Gloucester County to be recognized.
To be included on the 7th Annual Honor Roll, Washington Township had to, since 2014, increase the number of students participating in AP while also increasing or maintaining the number of students earning AP exam scores of 3 or higher.
“Congratulations, once again, to the high school on this remarkable achievement,” Superintendent of Schools Joe Bollendorf said. “This AP Honor Roll status is not easily attained, and this recognition speaks volumes to the sustained commitment to our AP curriculum.”
National data from 2016 indicates that among African American, Hispanic and Native American students with a high degree of readiness for AP, only about half of students are participating. The first step to delivering the opportunity of AP to students is providing access by ensuring courses are available, that gatekeeping stops, and that the doors are equitably opened so these students can participate. Washington Township is committed to expanding the availability of AP courses among prepared and motivated students of all backgrounds.
“The continued growth of our AP program at Washington Township High School has been a team effort. Our Board of Education has embraced and supported several key initiatives that have proven crucial to this success,” said WTHS Executive Assistant Principal of the 11/12 wing Jonathan Strout, who served as WTHS Director of Counseling in 2015-16. “The tireless efforts of our teachers, counselors, supervisors and administration in collectively working to remove barriers and support student enrollment in these courses has been paramount to the success our students are having.
“Nothing is more gratifying than hearing from graduates who are able to report the positive impact their participation in the AP program has had on them in college,” Strout added “There is no doubt that our investment in AP has led to remarkable dividends for our students and their families.”
In 2016, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, advanced placement, and/or consideration in the admission process, with many colleges and universities in the United States offering credit in one or more subjects for qualifying AP scores.
Inclusion on the 7th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2014 to 2016, looking across 37 AP Exams, including world language and culture. The following criteria were used.
Districts must:
• 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;
• Increase or maintain the percentage of exams taken by black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students; and
• Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2016 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2014 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70 percent of its AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.
When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population in which 30 percent or more are underrepresented minority students (black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native) and/or 30 percent or more are low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.
“Congratulations to all the teachers and administrators in this district who have worked so tirelessly to both expand access to AP and also to help students succeed on the AP Exams,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s head of AP and Instruction. “These teachers and administrators are delivering real opportunity in their schools and classrooms, and students are rising to the challenge.”
The complete honor roll can be found at www.collegeboard.com.
- WTPS -