Tosa Schools Again Named to College Board's AP Honor Roll

The is one of fewer than 400 public school districts in the nation being honored by the College Board with a place on the 2nd Annual AP Honor Roll.

The Tosa Schools made the grade last year as well, placing the district in an elite group of back-to-back winners.

"What's more, Wauwatosa is one of just five districts in Wisconsin that has made the list both years," said Superintendent of Schools Phil Ertl.

"It's a big deal," he said. "It's a true sign of our focus on the goal of continuous improvement."

Schools are judged on simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement (AP) coursework while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher on AP exams.

Achieving both of these goals indicates that the district is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are likely to benefit most from AP coursework, a district administration statement said.

Since 2009, the Wauwatosa School District increased the number of students participating in AP from 312 to 390. The majority of U.S. colleges and universities grant college credit or Advanced Placement for a score of 3 or above on AP exams.

Increasing opportunities for students to participate in AP classes is one of the district’s four goals approved by the School Board.

“This is truly something we can celebrate, as it is the result of a very focused effort by all staff to meet the School Board-approved goal," Ertl said. "The fact that increasing AP opportunities is a goal for a second year in a row also speaks to the dedication of our district to rigor and excellence for all.”

“This school district has achieved something very remarkable," said Trevor Packer, the College Board’s senior vice president of Advanced Placement and college readiness. "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.”

Inclusion on the 2nd Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on the following criteria:

• Examination of three years of AP data, from 2009 to 2011;
• Increase in participation in/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;
• A steady or increasing percentage of exams taken by African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students;
• Performance levels maintained or improved when comparing the percentage of students in 2011 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2009, or the school has already attained a performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.

The College Board’s AP Program enables students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. Through more than 30 college-level courses, each culminating in a rigorous exam, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both.

Taking AP courses also demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most rigorous curriculum available to them. AP is accepted by more than 3,800 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of successful AP Exam scores.

The 2nd Annual AP Honor Roll is made up of only those public school districts that are simultaneously expanding opportunity and improving performance. The list includes 367 school districts across 43 states and Canada.