Manasquan High Lauded for AP Test Success

Manasquan High School is one of three schools in Monmouth County and among 539 schools in the United States to be named to the third annual AP District Honor Roll in recognition of its efforts to increase access to Advanced Placement work while also improving scores.

“We are extremely pleased to receive this national recognition from the College Board,” said Manasquan High School principal Rick Coppola.

“Our Board of Education, administrators, Guidance Department and teachers have made the commitment to provide our students with the most challenging, rigorous coursework in an effort to prepare them for college success. Our accomplishments in this highly competitive area are a result of effective articulation, thoughtful curriculum revision and outstanding instruction provided by our teachers. I am extremely proud of our supervisors, teachers and students, and I am confident that the entire Manasquan High School community will share our enthusiasm in celebrating this outstanding achievement," Coppola said.

Inclusion on the AP District Honor Roll is based on the examination of three years of AP data, from 2010 to 2012, for the following criteria:

Districts must:

• Increase participation/access to AP by at least 4 percent in large districts, at least 6 percent in medium districts and at least 11 percent in small districts;
• Ensure that the percentage of African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students taking AP Exams did not decrease by more than 5 percent for large and medium districts or by more than 10 percent for small districts;
• Improve performance levels when comparing the percentage of students in 2012 scoring a 3 or higher to those in 2010, unless the district has already attained a performance level in which more than 70 percent of the AP students are scoring a 3 or higher.

Since 2007, the number of Advanced Placement tests administered at Manasquan High School has increased by 74.5 percent while scores in the highest range (4’s and 5’s) have increased from 28 percent of all tests taken to 55 percent.

Overall, those receiving College Board’s distinction make up just less than 5 percent of all of the districts in the nation. Manasquan was one of 34 districts in the state that received this honor, and only one of three districts to be recognized in Monmouth County. 

“We applaud the extraordinary efforts of the devoted teachers and administrators in this district, who are fostering rigorous work worth doing. These educators have not only expanded student access to AP course work, but they have enabled more of their students to achieve on a college level—which is helping to create a strong college-going culture,” said David Coleman, College Board president.

Manasquan High School administrators will present more detailed testing results at the December Board of Education meeting.