The Elwood Union Free School District has been selected as one of 425 school districts in the United States and Canada to be placed on College Board’s 6th Annual Advance Placement District Honor Roll. To be selected for this honor, school districts must increase access to AP course work while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning a score of 3 or higher on AP exams.  

During the 2013-14 school year, Elwood Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Gary Furman and high school administration worked to implement open enrollment for students into AP courses, which has increased the number of students taking AP courses by approximately 40 percent.  

According to College Board, in 2015, more than 3,800 colleges and universities around the world received AP scores for college credit, Advanced Placement, and/or consideration in the admission process, with many college and universities in the United States offering credit in one or more subjects for qualifying AP scores.

To be included on the AP District Honor Roll, districts are examined based on three years of AP data, from 2013 to 2015, in 34 AP exams, including world language and culture. Districts must also meet the following criteria: 1) There is an increase in 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; 2) There is an increase or maintained percentage of exams taken by black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native students; and 3) The district experiences improvement or maintained performance levels when comparing the 2015 percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher to the 2013 percentage.

 “If you provide the opportunity and support, students will rise to the challenge,” said Dr. Furman. “The AP Honor Roll recognition for the JGHS validates our commitment to provide students the opportunity to choose the most academically challenging course work prior to graduation. This recognition would not be possible without the efforts of our teachers who do a tremendous job educating our students and the commitment of our students.”