State AP Scores and Participation on the Rise -- Again

Did you know? Washington’s students in the Class of 2013 earned an estimated 138,672 college credits before leaving high school by passing Advanced Placement (AP) exams.

 

That number rises every year. It means more students are better prepared for college. And they’re saving money on college credits when they get there.

 

The College Board just released their 10th annual “AP Report to the Nation.” The report shows the number of Washington high school students who took at least one AP exam before graduating has increased by 122.8 percent since 2003.

 

And scores are rising, too. The number of Washington students scoring a 3 or higher by the time they graduate has increased by 10.5 percentage points since 2003. In fact, our state ranks seventh among all states in terms of percentage points gained during that period. The national average was 7.9 percentage points.

 

Get involved! There’s a lot more to learn more about AP in Washington, including suggestions for developing an AP program in your school.

 

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16 School Districts Get Grants for Sexual Health Education Programs

Did you know? HIV prevention is taught yearly in all Washington schools starting in grade 5. Knowledge is power. Students need high-quality instruction to help them make healthy choices.

The Centers for Disease Control launched a new project to make that happen. They chose 19 states to lead the project (including ours!), along with 17 large school districts and the District of Columbia.

 

The HIV and Sexual Health Education folks here at OSPI selected 16 Washington school districts to participate: Bremerton, North Mason, North Thurston, Vashon Island, Kent, Federal Way, Highline, Granite Falls, Burlington-Edison, Methow Valley, Pateros, Highland, Mabton, White Salmon Valley, Camas and Evergreen (ESD 112).

 

These districts were chosen because of their commitment to implementing programs and state policies that are medically accurate and based on science. They will receive technical, professional and financial support from the CDC for the next five years.

 

OSPI will partner with Educational Service Districts (ESDs) and state health education partner organizations to support the efforts these districts. Lessons learned from this project will be shared with school districts across the state.

Get involved! Whether or not your school district was chosen to receive a grant, you can take an active role in health education. School Health Advisory Councils are a great way for community members and parents to get involved in strengthening school district policies. Ask your district office if a council already exists in your area. If there isn’t, find out how to get one started at Let’s Move Active Schools and American Cancer Society.

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