AP pass rate increases 10% from past three years

By Emily Dubinsky

Social Media Editor

Mira Costa students had an approximate 10% increase in the pass rate for 2016 Advanced Placement examinations over scores from the past three years, according to the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees’ announcement at its Oct. 5 board meeting.

Students who pass AP exams may be eligible to receive college credit in the courses that correspond to the exams they have completed. Students pass if they receive a score of three or higher on the exam. AP exams took place during the first two weeks of May in Fisher Gym.

“By taking a rigorous college-level course, students are able to gain insight into what college would be like and become better prepared,” MBUSD Board of Trustees President Ellen Rosenberg said.

Approximately 1,762 Costa students took at least one AP Exam last school year compared to the 1,690 that took at least one AP test in 2015. Of those students, there was an increase of 443 students who passed their respective exams.

“These positive results are partially due to Costa’s incredibly dedicated teachers and the capable students,” Rosenberg said.

According to MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews, the administration offered 10 new AP courses that students were able to take last year, which may have been a possible reason why more students chose to take AP exams in recent years, Rosenberg said.

“Student engagement in a course that interested them was a successful formula to improve our Advanced Placement scores this year,” Rosenberg said.

The new results show that 79% of AP students received a score of 3 or above on the AP exams. Compared to last year, 3% more students got a score of four, and 2% more students got a score of 5. This past year’s results additionally show that a greater number of students who took Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics based-AP exams earned positive results.

District studies revealed that last school year, 61% of Costa’s seniors had signed up to take at least one AP class. Furthermore, AP teachers hold occasional workshops where they work to improve their teaching methods according to AP standards.

“Our teachers do their very best to provide high quality instruction every day,” Matthews said.

** CORRECTION: La Vista’s second issue, out on Oct. 21, incorrectly stated that the 10% increase in Advanced Placement scores was solely from the previous year. Mira Costa students increased the AP pass rate by approximately 10% over the course of three school years.