Georgia State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge named 367 schools to the Advanced Placement (AP) list for 2012 this past Tuesday, February 7, 2012, in Atlanta. Dodge County High School (DCHS) did not achieve the honor or status of any of the five categories for 2012.
The College Board, which also administers the Scholastic Achievement Tests, administers advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams (SAT). AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a three, four or five on AP exams may receive college credit.
The 2012 AP Honor Schools are named in five categories, based on the results of 2011 AP classes and exams. The categories include AP Challenge Schools including schools of 900 or fewer students with students testing in four of the core areas, English, math, science and social studies, AP Access and Support Schools including schools with at least 30% of their AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of three or higher; AP Merit Schools including schools with at least 20% of the student population taking AP exams and at least 50% of all AP exams earning scores of three or higher; AP Stem Schools including schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses; and AP Stem Achievement Schools including schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses and at least 40% of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of three or higher.
AP Day in Georgia was celebrated on Wednesday, February 8, 2012.
The Dodge County News contacted DCHS Principal Dr. Susan Long for a statement regarding why DCHS did not make the list. Dr. Long stated, “For many years, DCHS has offered Post-Secondary Options Dual Enrollment classes for our seniors in English 1101 and 1102 and Pre-Calculus and Calculus on the DCHS campus via Middle Georgia College. Seniors who would have taken AP classes have opted to take these college classes because college credits are immediately applied for both high school and college units at the students’ successful completion of the classes. In AP classes, students must obtain a certain score on an AP exam in the respective area to receive college level credit. Because of a recent grant, which provided training for our high school teachers to be certified in AP fields, we are now able to offer AP classes at all levels, grades 9-12. We have also submitted additional grants to allow more teachers to be trained in other areas to teach advanced placement classes.
Through these opportunities, our AP program at DCHS continues to grow. This past Wednesday, February 8th, DCHS celebrated AP Day and recognized our students and our teachers who are in the AP Program. Currently, DCHS offers AP Statistics, AP World History, and AP Literature and Composition. Beginning in school year 2012-13, AP Biology and AP Language and Composition will also be available. We are excited that we can offer our students a variety of college-level courses that provide opportunities for both high school credits and college credits.”
