All nine Frederick County public high schools once again ranked in the nation’s top five percent in encouraging students to take challenging Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests, according to Newsweek Magazine’s 2008 Challenge Index rating, released last month.
“FCPS has strongly recommended that students enrolled in the challenging college-level courses take the national exams. Last year, our students took more than 4,000 AP exams, with more than half earning scores high enough for college credit,” said FCPS Associate Superintendent Ann Bonitatibus.
According to Newsweek, studies show that taking the challenging courses prepares students for college success, regardless of whether they pass the exams. Therefore the ranking does not take scores into account but focuses on participation. The index is designed to identify schools that challenge average students.
To determine a school’s rating, Newsweek divides the number of AP, IB or other college-level tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted. For more information about AP and IB success in Frederick County, contact Ann Bonitatibus, 301-696-6805, or FCPS Instructional Director of High Schools Rebecca Koontz, 301-696-6810.
