Los Angeles Unified highschool college students have proven robust features in Superior Placement course enrollment, with a little bit greater than half earned passing check scores final 12 months that allow them to earn school credit at many universities, officers introduced Tuesday.
Within the 2024-25 faculty 12 months, almost 60,000 LAUSD college students enrolled in an AP class, which is a rigorous, standardized, college-level course. Over a five-year interval starting within the 2020-21 faculty 12 months, the district’s AP class participation grew by 50%.
When wanting strictly at its share of enrollment development, the Los Angeles Unified College District represents the best annual participation fee of enchancment of any district within the nation, Faculty Board Chief Govt David Coleman mentioned throughout the press convention.
“AP has been outlined by exclusivity and for too many college students,” Coleman mentioned. “LAUSD is displaying one thing totally different … obtainable to all who display readiness and search the problem and danger is why it issues.”
The Faculty Board is a nationwide not-for-profit group that develops and proctors the SAT standardized check for school admissions and develops curriculum and assessments for 42 AP courses, together with biology, chemistry, calculus, English literature and several other overseas languages.
Greater than 31,000 LAUSD college students — roughly 51% — achieved a rating of three to five, which implies they’re eligible to earn school credit in accordance with college insurance policies, in response to Faculty Board information. Nonetheless, broader information reveal the district scores lag far behind behind state numbers, which present 71% of AP examination takers passing.
Supt. Alberto Carvalho centered on how a lot the district scores improved: the 51% go fee in 2024-25, a 15% enchancment over the earlier 12 months, and rising participation.
“We have now endured each fireplace and ICE in our group, devastating fires, immigration raids which have created worry, trauma in our households and college students and workforce,” Carvalho mentioned. “That is the time for us to declare that, however these challenges, we soar.”
Flanked by principals and directors from throughout the district, Carvalho touted “an unprecedented” rise in entry to AP testing, with some colleges within the district providing free or fee-reduced choices for college students whose households can’t afford the $99 charge per examination.
“Different faculty methods and particular person colleges say ‘[AP] is extracurricular, that’s not our job,’” LAUSD board member Nick Melvoin mentioned. “As we make the AP exams free, as we prolong entry, we’ve seen {that a} district like ours can be sure that for youths who stay in poverty, that preliminary begin just isn’t their future.”
All pupil subgroups— together with kids of immigrants, racial minorities and people with mother and father with out larger training — elevated their passing fee within the final 5 years. College students with disabilities skilled probably the most vital will increase in participation, which Carvalho attributed to higher lodging and preparation for test-taking.
Black and Latino college students— who made up 73% of complete AP test-takers in LAUSD final 12 months — had a 37% and 17% rise in passing scores, respectively, in response to Faculty Board information.
Practically the entire seven broad AP topic areas, together with English, arithmetic and sciences, posted features in qualifying scores. Two areas of research confirmed a slight lower: AP Arts and Analysis, with a 2% and 4% dip, respectively.
“When the state assessments got here out, we proclaimed that the ground of efficiency dramatically improved, elevated,” Carvalho mentioned. “Right this moment, we’re saying that the ceiling of efficiency additionally expanded.”
