Orange, CA – March 27, 2017 – According to a recent article from the College Board, states and districts - including Orange Unified - are expanding the Advanced Placement (AP).  Through a partnership with Equal Opportunity Schools, the District has been able to identify students who demonstrate “AP Potential,” yet might not have otherwise gone into an AP class.  OUSD high schools have reached out to these students to encourage participation in the AP courses.  As a result, all four comprehensive high schools have seen a growth in AP course enrollment.  Further, this growth has steadily increased over the last two years as a result of the efforts at the schools. 

Coupled with increased enrollment, OUSD high schools have also seen a steady growth in students taking the AP exam and earning a 3, 4 or 5 on the AP exams.  The District, as a whole, showed an 11.0% increase in number of exams taken going from 4,119 total exams in 2014 – 2015 to 4,573 exams in 2015 – 2016.  The District showed a 15.5% increase in the number of scores being 3, 4, or 5 going from 2,358 exams to 2724 exams.

Orange Unified has also seen a growth in students earning Advanced Placement recognition on their performance on the exams.  The four areas the students earned recognition in were AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, AP Scholar with Distinction, and National AP Scholar.  AP Scholar is “granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.”  An AP Scholar with Honor is “granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.”  An AP Scholar with Distinction is “granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.”  A National AP Scholar is “granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.”