The MCHS AP Program – One More Step Forward

The Advanced Placement Program at Madison County High School has been making consistent strides for well over a decade now.  Fifteen years ago, there were 10 students at MCHS with a passing AP score (a 3 or higher), and the pass rate was 26%.  In 2024, there were 121 students who passed an AP exam with a pass rate of over 80%.  That pass rate is around 15 points higher than the usual global average. The local improvement has been a result of numerous well-planned strategies including diversifying the course offerings to meet the students’ individual needs and interests.  For example, in 2010, there were 4 AP courses offered at MCHS; now there are four times that many.  All these new classes and stellar test scores are good for much more than just making headlines or providing bragging rights as they represent hundreds of thousands of dollars that local students saved by earning college credit while still in high school.  While an AP exam costs about $100, the national average for a college class is well over $1000.  As evidenced by the following chart, there were more than 700 passed exams in the last five years alone accounting for over half a million dollars of savings in college tuition.

MCHS Students have also earned national honors on a consistent basis through their performance on AP exams, and this past year there were just as many as ever.  An AP Scholar Award is granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams, and an AP Scholar w/ Honor Award is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.  An AP Scholar w/ Distinction is the highest achievement that College Board bestows on its students, and it is granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.  For many years these accomplishments were rare at MCHS, but for the better part of a decade now, they have become closer to the standard.  In 2024, 44 MCHS students were recognized by College Board for their exemplary performances in the AP classroom.  Each Madison County student and the honor they earned is listed below.

MCHS Teachers have distinguished themselves as well.  For the second straight year 15 AP teachers had classes that exceeded their global pass rates.   Brooke Cooper, LeeAnn Johnson, Trevor Mangan, Kim Myers, Tracey Brown, and Jenna Berryman all exceeded their global pass rates AND posted pass rates over 80%!  

Obviously, there is much to celebrate, but with the 2024-2025 school year already upon us, all efforts are focused on making this year an even greater success and continuing to take another step forward.