MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED FOR
WORLD’S BEST RESULTS IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT

MIAMI – The College Board recognized seven public high schools in Miami-Dade County Tuesday for having the largest numbers of students succeeding worldwide on nearly half of the rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) exams it gives.

The recognition for five comprehensive high schools and two magnet high schools came as part of the College Board’s 2006 AP Report to the Nation, which describes results from the program, which offers courses in 35 subjects geared to college-level content and tests through which high school students can earn college credit.  The report was released in Washington.

The report cites the seven local schools for having the most Hispanic students in the world scoring 3 or higher on AP exams in 14 different subjects (see attached list).  One school – Design & Architecture Senior High (DASH) – also was recognized for being the medium-sized school (300-799 students) with the most students scoring at that level and the school with the most African-American students scoring at that level on the Studio Art exam.  A score of 3 or higher generally qualifies students for college credit in the AP subject tested.

As a result, Miami-Dade County Public Schools has the largest number of schools recognized in the report of any school system in the world and the largest number of subjects in which schools are cited.  Six of the high schools – G. Holmes Braddock, Coral Park, Coral Reef, DASH, Barbara Goleman and Miami Palmetto – were recognized in the College Board inaugural AP report last year for similar outstanding results.

The College Board’s recognition is just one sign of growing success in raising the rigor of high school courses in Miami-Dade.  Enrollment in AP courses this school year has grown sharply, topping last year by 15 percent.  In the eight high schools in the District’s School Improvement Zone – which have struggled academically – AP enrollment has grown by 29 percent.

Overall, enrollment in advanced high school offerings such as AP, International Baccalaureate, and Honors classes is up 5 percent from last year.  The growth in enrollment is greatest among groups of students who historically have shied away from rigorous courses – boys (up 10 percent) and disadvantaged students (up 12 percent), for example.

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more that 5,000 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Among the best-known programs are the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT, and the AP program.

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2006 AP Report to the Nation
List of Principals and Teachers

06-LJG/167