Nazareth Area School District recognized nationally for student performance

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

The Nazareth Area School District has been recognized as one of fewer than 400 public school districts nationally by the College Board for significant gains in student performance.

The district scored a place on the Second Annual Advanced Placement Honor Roll for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams.

Superintendent of Schools Victor Lesky said achieving both of these goals was the ideal scenario for the district’s AP program because it indicates the district is successfully identifying motivated, academically-prepared students who are likely to benefit the most from AP coursework.

Since 2009, the Nazareth Area School District increased the number of students participating in AP from 103 to 143, while increasing the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher from 83 percent in 2009 to 84 percent in 2011.


The majority of U.S. colleges and universities grant college credit or advanced placement for a score of 3 or above on AP exams.

“The academic rigor is the key to the future success of all students and the district’s designation as an AP Honor Roll District is an indication that the organization is on the right path in meeting that goal,” Lesky said in an e-mail today. “An emphasis on teaching students how to learn, ascertaining the skills of application, problem solving, analysis and evaluation of the information being presented is integral if we are to provide our students with the experiences needed to meet success in the 21st century.”

Lesky said the AP scores indicated that 20 Nazareth students were named AP Scholars, eight students were named AP “Scholars with Honor” and 12 students “AP Scholars with Distinction.”

The Second Annual AP Honor Roll is made up of public school districts that are simultaneously expanding opportunity and improving performance. The list includes 367 school districts across 43 states and Canada. Pennsylvania led all states with 34 public school districts named to the honor roll, followed by Massachusetts and New York, both with 30.

“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 in a statement. “The AP Honor Roll districts are defying expectations by expanding access while enabling their students to maintain or improve their AP Exam scores.”

According to the College Board, many U.S. school districts have focused on expanding access to AP courses as part of a strategy to improve college readiness. While these efforts have resulted in more students earning scores of 3 or better — the efforts also have resulted in more students earning scores of 1 or 2.


There had been a slight decline since 2001 in the percentage of AP students scoring a 3 or better, a decline that can be expected in any program attracting a broader cross-section of students, according to the board.

“This school district has achieved something very remarkable. It managed to open the doors of its AP classrooms to many more students while also increasing the percentage of students earning high enough AP Exam grades to stand out in the competitive college admission process and qualify for college credit and placement,” Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of Advanced Placement and college readiness, said about Nazareth.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2011/11/nazareth_area_school_district_19.html