Dist. 214 sees a decade of rising AP test scores

If District 214 officials have learned one thing in the past 10 years, it’s this: The more students who take advanced placement tests, the higher the scores climb.

District 214’s passing AP test scores has increased by 163 percent from 2001 to 2010. More recently, there was a 24 percent increase in passing scores between 2008 and 2010, from 3,608 to 4,457.

During those two years, the number of students taking at least one test went from 2,060 to 2,693.

In the previous seven-year period, the district’s percentage of passing AP test scores increased by 113 percent from 1,697 to 3,608, said Steve Cordogan, District 214’s director of research and evaluation.

The 24 percent jump between 2008 and 2010 earned the district top honors among about 3,000 medium-sized schools in the country.

AP tests are scored from 1 to 5. A “passing” score is 3 or higher, although some colleges only give credit for scores of 4 or 5.

The increase is no accident. The district has been trying to get more students interested in AP courses, even those who don’t have the best academic record, Cordogan said.

“If they are motivated, any student can take an AP test and do very well,” he said. “We’ve been encouraging students who aren’t traditional honors level students to take these tests.”

District 214’s most popular AP course is U.S. History, followed by World History, Philosophy and English Language and Composition.

Educators want to raise the rate of participation until at least half the graduating seniors are taking at least one AP test. About 40 percent of the Class of 2010 took an AP course, Cordogan said.

Chuck Venegoni is Hersey High School’s division head of English and Fine Arts. He said higher AP test scores equal higher ACT test scores, which are also on the upswing in District 214.

“You can’t drill and kill a kid for an AP test,” Venegoni said. “These are skills-based tests. When kids prepare for them, it makes them smarter.”

About 60 percent of Hersey students take at least one AP test, he said.