Dexter Community Schools Earns High Marks for AP Efforts

Officials at Dexter Community Schools were beaming with pride when the College Board announced the district was among nearly 400 in the nation being honored on the board's AP Achievement List on Thursday.

The board recognizes school districts that strive to open advanced placement classes to "a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher" on advanced placement tests. From 2008 to 2010, Dexter Community Schools has increased the number of students participating in advanced placement classes from 148 to 215, while enabling more than 70 percent of its students to earn scores of 3 or higher—the score typically needed to earn college credit—from 78 percent in 2008 to 82 percent in 2010.

“This recognition by the College Board highlights the collective effort we place on preparing students for their post-high school plans," Superintendent Mary Marshall said in a written statement. "Our staff, students and community work together to support high academic achievement for our students, and career and college readiness is an important part of that preparation.

"Although our work is never done, it is encouraging to receive recognition from the College Board that we are making positive gains," Marshall said.

The board's Achievement List comprises 388 school districts representing 43 states, with California having the largest number of districts from a single state—37—followed by Michigan with 29 districts and Pennsylvania with 28.

"The staff and students of Dexter High School are thrilled by our recognition by the College Board," DHS Principal Kit Moran said. "All teachers at DHS have worked incredibly hard to prepare students for rigorous courses and have encouraged them to take on the challenges of advanced placement work. This recognition highlights our desire to open the doors to as many students as possible.

"That we maintained our performance levels on advanced placement speaks volumes of the efforts our teachers have made to help all students rise to the academic occasion," Moran said.