Cheshire High Among Top Schools in State on AP Tests

Cheshire High School was one of Connecticut’s best performers on the 2010 Advanced Placement tests, according to results released by the state Department of Education.

The state cited Cheshire, along with 10 other school districts, for having the highest percentage of passing scores on the AP exams last year. The majority of the other top performers were in Fairfield County.

A state Department of Education breakdown released recently shows 88.8 percent of tests at Cheshire High earned passing scores of 3, 4 or 5, the eighth-highest percentage among districts/schools with at least 100 test-takers. Statewide, 70.6 percent earned passing scores.

While the percentage of passing scores at CHS dipped from 95.1 in 2009, more students took the tests and the total number of exams taken increased, the report shows.

A total of 224 Cheshire students took 330 AP tests in 2010, with 293 earning passing scores, according to the report. That’s up from 2009 when 181 students took 268 tests and 255 earned passing scores.

Principal Kevin Ryan said there has been a deliberate push to encourage a greater number of kids to take AP exams and higher-level courses.

“We’re really pleased about the student performance on the exams but we’re also looking to expand those opportunities,” Ryan said.

Students take AP exams after enrolling in college-level courses at their high schools. Cheshire High offers AP exams in 20 subjects, including Biology, Latin, Calculus, Psychology and U.S. History, according to the high school’s website.

Students who receive a score of 3, 4 or 5 can often earn college credit, although elite schools sometimes accept scores no lower than 5. Passing scores often mean students may bypass introductory courses and take more demanding classes as college freshmen, in addition to saving on tuition costs.

Ryan said even without the benefit of college credit, the courses help improve thinking skills and study habits, giving students the experience of “rigorous, challenging work at a time when they’re in a really supportive environment.”

 The push to increase participation on AP tests comes as Cheshire school officials are considering cuts to high school electives as one way to deal with the district’s budget crisis. Ryan acknowledged AP courses could be among the casualties.

He said the school has begun scheduling for next year and there are already not enough AP classes to meet student demand.

“We have many, many kids who can’t get into AP courses because we only have a limited number of sections,” he said.

More than 20,000 Connecticut high school students took at least one AP exam in 2010, an increase of 2,000 over 2009.

The other districts singled out for high percentages of passing scores were: Ridgefield (94 percent), Darien (91.1 percent), New Canaan (90.9 percent), Trumbull (90.7 percent), Weston (90 percent), Amity Region 5 (89.3 percent), Avon (89 percent), Westport (88.6 percent) Fairfield (87.8 percent) and East Lyme (87.7 percent).