CARROLLTON, GA – Carrollton High School’s STEM initiative and the school’s focus on increasing Advanced Placement course offerings and student participation have once again earned CHS state recognition as an AP STEM School in two categories, the 12th consecutive year the high school has received the AP STEM School honor and the 11th time for the AP STEM Achievement School designation. This focus also earned CHS a new designation as an AP Expansion School for increasing AP student participation at least 25 percent over the previous school year.
The state Department of Education, upon release of the College Board’s AP exam performance results for the Class of 2021, recognized Georgia high schools for exceptional performance in several AP categories.
To qualify as an AP STEM School, a school must have students testing in at least four AP STEM courses (Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics 1, Physics 2, Physics C, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles). CHS and 170 other Georgia schools qualified for this honor. To be named an AP STEM Achievement School, 50 percent of students in these schools must score a 3 or higher on the AP course exams, an accomplishment achieved by only 90 high schools in the state.
The AP Expansion School honor recognizes schools that have increased overall participation in AP courses across the board. CHS was one of only 25 schools in the state to receive the recognition.
“These recognitions are a tribute to our students as well as our teachers,” said Ian Lyle, CHS principal. “The AP students opt to take more rigorous, time-consuming courses that will prepare them for college and beyond, while the AP teachers consistently show they not only care about their students, but push them to reach their full potential.”
Dr. Mark Albertus, superintendent of Carrollton City Schools, not only commended CHS for the achievement, but placed credit on the lower schools as well.
“We should be extremely proud as a school system for this consistent accomplishment,” said Albertus. “While it is obvious high school students are the ones who take Advanced Placement courses, it cannot be done without system-wide effort and support. In order to adequately equip students to succeed in AP programs, a rigorous curriculum must be in place at all grade levels throughout the system.”
Carrollton High School offers a total of 17 Advanced Placement courses, including the classes recognized for the STEM focus: Statistics, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Physics. Other AP courses that are available are Government, World History, Macroeconomics, U.S. History, Literature, Language, American Literature/Language, Macroeconomics, Psychology, and Studio Art. In addition to the AP offerings, CHS implemented the International Baccalaureate program in 2012, another avenue students can pursue to ensure academic rigor through more than a dozen more course offerings.
