Kaneland high makes the grade for AP honor roll
Submitted by Kaneland Unit District 302
Kaneland Unit District 302 is one of 539 school districts across 44 of the 50 states in the U.S. and Canada being honored by the College Board with placement on the third annual AP District Honor Roll for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement course work while increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams. 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.
Since 2010, Kaneland Unit District 302 has increased the number of students participating in AP by 56 percent while improving the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher by 10 percent in the same time period. More than 90 percent of colleges and universities across the U.S. offer college credit, advanced placement or both for a score of 3 or above on an AP Exam — which can potentially save students and their families thousands of dollars in college tuition.
Kaneland High School Principal Chip Hickman said, “This is a tremendous achievement for our high school. Our student’s commitment to high achievement is evident through this honor and the leadership of our instructional staff has been inspirational. This acknowledgment serves as an affirmation of the improvement efforts at all levels of our organization.”
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 a variety of initiatives and strategies to determine how to expand access and improve student performance simultaneously.
“We applaud the extraordinary efforts of the devoted teachers and administrators in this district, 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.