EASTON — Superintendent Lisha Cabral and Principal Kelly Cavanaugh are pleased to announce that Easton Public Schools and Oliver Ames High School have recently received multiple noteworthy recognitions.
AP School Honor Roll
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose Advanced Placement programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn the recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness. Schools can be recognized with Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition levels.
Oliver Ames High School was recognized at the Bronze level alongside 1,340 schools (9% of eligible schools) in the country. For the 2022-23 school year, 4,570 schools countrywide were recognized for their AP programs. Of 390 eligible schools in Massachusetts, 47% earned a place on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll and 14% were recognized at the Bronze level.
Twenty AP tests were offered at OAHS in 2023 and 265 students completed at least one test. Of the students who completed a test, 37% received a 3 or higher. Additionally, 39 students were recognized as AP Scholars, 29 as AP Scholars with Honors, and 29 as AP Scholars with Distinction. One student was an AP International Diploma Qualifier with an average test score of 4.78.
College Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) enables students to pursue college-level studies — with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both — while still in high school. Research shows that students who take AP courses and exams are more likely to attend college and graduate on time. Taking AP courses demonstrates to college admissions offices that students have sought the most challenging curriculum available to them, and students who enter four-year colleges with AP credit accelerate their path to graduation.
For a school to be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll, it must meet criteria in areas of College Culture, College Credit and College Optimization. Additional details about the criteria and a full list of schools recognized on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll can be found on AP Central.
AP Access Award
OAHS also received the AP Access Award, one of 1,770 schools (39% of Honor Roll recipients) to do so, which is given to schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework. Schools earn the additional award if the percentage of AP Exam takers who are underrepresented minority and/or low-income students mirrors the school’s overall student demographics.
Niche Rankings
Easton Public Schools and Oliver Ames were also recognized by Niche, a school search platform.
OAHS ranked first out of 29 on the 2024 Best Public High Schools in Bristol County list. Additionally, the district ranked 50th out of 239 districts on the 2024 Best School Districts in Massachusetts list. The school and district were graded highly in the areas of Academics, Teachers, Clubs & Activities and College Prep.
Both rankings are based on key statistics and reviews from students and parents. Factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates and more.
“These recognitions are a testament to our faculty and staff, as well as our students,” Principal Cavanaugh said. “We are pleased to be recognized for providing a large selection of both academic and extracurricular opportunities for our students that prepare them for their futures.”
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