Clark County awarded AP recognition

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By Haley King

Principal Mike Piccininni introduced the  AP Academy concept in 2013. It  began in the fall of 2014 with it's first graduates among the class of 2015.
Principal Mike Piccininni introduced the AP Academy concept in 2013. It began in the fall of 2014 with it’s first graduates among the class of 2015.

When Coronado opened its doors this fall, they opened knowing the AP Academy had helped the district earn a new title. College Board awarded Clark County School District the AP Large School District of the Year distinction on Feb. 11, 2015. This means the district improved AP test scores while also increasing the number of students participating in advanced placement classes and the number of students taking the tests.

“I think it is a big honor for Clark County. It speaks to the hard work of a lot of students, teachers, and schools. Coronado is the number one comprehensive high school when it comes to AP.” Mr. Poleski, AP World Geography teacher, said. “We gave the second most tests in the district behind only one school, Clark, and we had the second highest pass rate behind ATech, and so when you look at that data together it shows that we are doing some really phenomenal things here at Coronado.”

Last year was the first year AP Academy required incoming freshmen to take an AP class, AP Human Geography, increasing the number of students taking AP classes for the 2014-2015 school year. 757 students took an advanced placement class, 1,254 tests were given, and 611 students passed their AP exams. This is the largest amount of passing test scores, as well as the most number of students taking AP In the past year, and 200 more students signed up for AP, the greatest number of students to join in one year.

Compared to the previous years, in 2012, 450 students were enrolled, 720 tests were given, and 361 students passed. In 2013, 525 students joined, 908 took the test, and 407 passed. In 2014, 557 students registered for AP, 977 received the exam, and 464 passed.

“The district sets goals, and one of the goals they had at the district level is to increase the AP numbers,” Ms. Harper, assistant principal over AP Academy and testing, said.

Clark County was also named the fifth-largest school district in the United States and, according to bestcolleges.com, Coronado placed 30 out of 100 in the best high schools in America.