Local students recognized for achievement on rigorous Advanced Placement exams
Press release from Alachua County Public Schools
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Nearly 1,000 Alachua County Public School students have earned national recognition this year based on their high scores on multiple Advanced Placement exams, reflecting their outstanding performance in the rigorous, college-level courses offered in local high schools.
According to figures released by the College Board, which administers the AP program nationwide, a total of 981 ACPS students received AP Scholar Awards for the 2025-26 school year. Of those students, 455 earned the highest award of AP Scholar with Distinction, which meant they received an average score of at least 3.5 on all their AP exams and passed (score of 3 or higher) at least five total exams. The district’s 145 AP Scholars with Honors received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams they took and scores of 3 or higher on at least four of those exams. The 381 local students named AP Scholars earned a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams.
The number of students who were recognized this year for their performance on multiple AP exams is particularly noteworthy because so many of the district’s highest-achieving students take the equally-rigorous Cambridge and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams instead of the AP exams, and therefore are not reflected in the AP Scholar figures.
Six of the district’s high schools had students recognized in all three categories.
Most colleges and universities offer credits and/or advanced placement to students who earn a 3 or above on AP exams.
The College Board, which administers the Advanced Placement Program nationwide, has also recognized 72 ACPS students who earned the AP Capstone Diploma and 39 who received the AP Seminar and Research Certificate this year.
To earn the AP Capstone Diploma, students had to earn scores of 3 or higher in both the AP Seminar and AP Research exams and four additional AP exams. A Certificate requires that students earn scores of three or higher on both the Seminar and Research exams.
Out of how many school districts in this AP group? What is the national average of performance? ACSD has the habit of only telling one part of a report to pat themselves on the back
Congratulations to the hard working students.
Hooray for our public schools!
“The intermingling in the school of youth of different races, differing religions, and unlike customs creates for all a new and broader environment. Common subject matter accustoms all to a unity of outlook upon a broader horizon than is visible to the members of any group while it is isolated. The assimilative force of the American public school is eloquent testimony to the efficacy of the common and balanced appeal.”
― John Dewey, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education