Cape AP: Enrollment increases, but scores decrease
More Cape High students than ever took Advanced Placement tests in 2016, but the percentage of those who scored well on the test was the lowest in five years.
Cape High offers 14 Advanced Placement classes that prepare students for a test that can result in college credit, if students score at least a 3 of a possible 5 on the test. Only 38 percent of Cape students taking the AP test in 2016 scored a 3 or higher, a drop from 57.7 percent in 2015, said Michael Young, supervisor of secondary education, during a presentation to Cape Henlopen school board.
The percentage of students earning college credit had been increasing since 2012, when about 40 percent of students who took the test scored a 3 or better. The percentage increased to 47.7 percent in 2013 and to 49 percent in 2014.
This year, the largest number of students ever – 162 – took AP tests – but most of them failed to score well enough to earn college credit.
“We had more test takers, but a much lower pass rate,” Young said.
Cape's percentages also paled when compared with the state average of 59 percent and a global average of 60 percent.
Young said one explanation for the drop in the passing rate is that a teacher who taught two AP language, literature and composition classes retired and two new teachers took her place.
“It was the first year for those two teachers,” he said.
In other AP classes, Young said, changes have been made, but he declined to discuss personnel issues.
Board member Jen Burton said several parents had contacted her over concerns with Cape’s AP program. She said some students don’t take the AP test seriously because they have already been admitted to college. “Most students are actually admitted into their college of choice before the student even takes the AP exam or receives a score, so I think the incentive to study hard and really prepare for the exam is weakened,” she said.
Burton said she also believes teachers should be held accountable for AP test scores.
Despite the overall drop in test scores, Young said 67 percent of students who took the environmental science exam earned a 3 or better, and 62 percent who took the biology exam earned a 3 or better. Of the 162 students who took AP tests, seven students received a 5 – the highest grade – in U.S. history and one student earned a 5 in European history.
College credit for AP test scores varies by institution. Scoring a 3 typically is worth a one-semester course, while scoring a 4 or 5 may result in credit for a full-year course at a state college and some private colleges. Ivy League and other top private schools generally do not accept a score of 3 for credit.
There are 346 students taking AP classes at Cape High in 2016-17. Cape's AP classes are: language and composition, English literature and composition, U.S. history, European history, human geography, two levels of calculus, statistics, biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, computer science, and studio art.
Young said administrators will meet with AP teachers on student performance and adjust instruction if needed. “We expect to see an improvement this year,” Young said.
Young also reviewed test results of juniors who took this year's SAT – taken by all Delaware juniors as Delaware's state test. The SAT was reformatted in 2016, so there is no comparison of SAT results from 2015.
Of the 37 high schools that participated, Cape ranked 12th in the state on the math test with 37 percent of students scoring proficient. Cape placed 14th in the state for English with 54 percent of students scoring proficient. The Delaware State Board of Education set a score of at least 480 for English and 530 for math to be considered proficient on the revised SAT.
“We ranked in the top half of the state,” Young said, noting Cape was ranked seventh overall for traditional high schools.
To improve SAT results, Young said, all ninth- and 10th-graders will be given the PSAT in spring 2017 and an online SAT practice test will be give to juniors.
“We believe there will be improvement with our students,” he said.
