Culver City Unified School District was recently recognized for its efforts to open Advanced Placement classes to a broader pool of students.
From 2008 to 2010, the school district increased the number of students participating in AP classes from 340 to 420, while improving the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher, the score typically needed to earn college credit, from 63% in 2008 to 64% in 2010.
As a result, CCUSD was one of less than 400 school districts in the country honored by the College Board with a place on its AP Achievement List, which honors those districts that simultaneously expand opportunity and improve performance. The list represents 43 states, with California’s 37 districts on the list representing the largest number of districts from a single state, followed by Michigan, 29, and Pennsylvania, 28.
“Culver City High School is truly deserving of this honor,” said Superintendent Patricia Jaffe. “Advanced Placement students at CCHS are required to complete the end-of-the-course exam to ensure that they get the full benefit of the rigorous college-level program, and the school works closely with students and families to provide scholarships for those who need assistance.”
Many U.S. school districts have focused on expanding access to AP courses as part of a strategy for fostering college readiness. The teaching staff and school counselors at CCHS encourage all students to enroll in AP courses.
“Participation in college-level AP courses can level the playing field for underserved students, give them the confidence needed to succeed in college and raise standards and performance in key subjects like science and math,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “The AP Achievement List districts are defying expectations by expanding access while enabling their students to maintain or improve their AP Exam scores.”
“These districts are living proof that when access to AP is provided for the range and breadth of prepared and motivated students, districts can achieve even higher learning outcomes for their students – and the opportunity for so many more to earn college credit and placement – than when AP opportunities were restricted to a smaller segment of the high school population,” said Trevor Packer, vice president of the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program.
