Manatee Schools One of Two Districts in FL Named to AP District Honor Roll

BRADENTON – The Manatee County School District is one of just two school districts in the state of Florida and one of only 477 school districts in the U.S. and Canada to be honored by the College Board with placement on the “4th Annual AP® District Honor Roll” for increasing access to AP® course work while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams. The only other school district in Florida to achieve this distinction is Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Reaching the above goals indicates that the Manatee District is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit from rigorous AP course work. Since 2011, Manatee County Schools has increased the number of students participating in AP by 260 students while improving the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher by 6 percent.

“We applaud the extraordinary efforts of the devoted teachers and administrators in this district who are offering more students the opportunity to engage in rigorous college-level course work,” said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of AP and Instruction. “These outcomes are a powerful testament to educators’ belief that a more diverse population of students is ready for the sort of rigor that will prepare them for success in college.”

Manatee County Schools Superintendent Rick Mills was honored at the recognition.

“The fact that the College Board placed our district on the AP Honor Roll shows we place a high priority on encouraging and inspiring our students to maximize their academic potential,” Mr. Mills said. “I want to thank all of our students, teachers, guidance counselors and administrators who made this honor possible.”

Inclusion on the 4th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2011 to 2013, for the following criteria.

Districts must:

• Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts, and at least 11 percent in small districts;

• Increase or maintain the percentage of exams taken by African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students, and;

• Improve performance levels when comparing the percentage of students in 2013 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2011, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70 percent of its AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.

When these outcomes have been achieved among an AP student population in which 30 percent or more are underrepresented minority students (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native) and/or 30 percent or more are low-income students (students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch), a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.

The complete 4th Annual AP District Honor Roll can be found at professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/4th-Annual-AP-District-Honor-Roll.pdf.

About the College Board

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators, and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.