Wausau School District is one of 447 school districts in the United States and Canada being honored by the college Board with placement on the 8th Annual AP® District Honor Roll.

To be included on the 8th Annual Honor Roll, Wausau School District had to, since 2015, increase the number of students participating in AP while also increasing or maintaining the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. Advanced Placement examinations are taken each May by students at participating American, Canadian, and international educational institutions, the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement courses.

Reaching these goals shows that Wausau School District is successfully identifying motivated, academically prepared students who are ready for AP, according to a district news release.

“More students are taking AP classes,” said Interim Superintendent Michael Schwei. “More students from underrepresented populations are taking AP classes. Among the AP students, more students than ever in the Wausau School District are taking the end – of – year AP tests.”

Schwei said that more students than ever are succeeding on AP tests, with scores of 3, 4, or 5. A 5 is the top score available.

“Congratulations to our students, to our AP teachers, and to our Wausau School District high schools for making the AP Honor Roll. This is truly reflective of advancing student learning, achievement, and success,” Schwei said.

The College Board states that, in 2017, more than 4,000 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, advanced placement, or both, and/or consideration in the admissions process. Inclusion in the 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll is based on a review of three years of AP data, from 2015 to 2017, looking across 38 AP Exams, including world language and culture. The following criteria were used.

Districts must:

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

• Increase or maintain the percentage of minority students taking exams and increase or maintain the percentage of minority students scoring 3+ on at least one AP Exam; and

• Improve or maintain performance levels when comparing the 2017 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2015 percentage, unless the district has already attained a performance level at which more than 70% of its AP students earn a 3 or higher.

When these outcomes are achieved among an AP student population in which 30% or more are underrepresented minority students and/or 30% or more are students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch, a symbol has been affixed to the district name to highlight this work.

“Congratulations to all the educators and administrators in the district who have worked to clear a path for more students of all backgrounds to participate and succeed in AP,” said Trevor Packer, head of AP and Instruction. “These educators and administrators are fostering a culture in their schools and classrooms that allows students to face new challenges and build the confidence to succeed.”