Pearland Independent School District’s advanced placement achievements continue to climb. After taking college-level AP classes, students can take a corresponding AP exam (scored on a five-point scale) and potentially earn college credit or advanced placement at a university.
This year, students from Dawson, Pearland, and Turner College and Career high schools collectively boasted 1,032 awards:
AP Scholars with Distinction: 391 (average score of 3.5 on all AP exams and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams)
AP Scholars with Honor: 174 (average score of at least 3.25 on all exams and scores of 3 or higher on four exams)
AP Scholars: 397 (3 or higher on three or more exams)
AP Capstone Diploma: 67 (scores of 3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP Research and on four additional AP Exams of their choosing)
AP Seminar and Research Certificate: 3 (3 or higher in AP Seminar and AP)
Note: National AP Scholars automatically qualify for the AP Scholars with Distinction Award.
Because AP courses offer more depth and complexity than traditional high school classes and increase college readiness, Pearland ISD opens enrollment in Pearland Advanced Program classes as early as fifth grade and Advanced Placement classes as early as ninth grade. Through early exposure to college-level material, students from different grade levels and GPA brackets build the complex thinking skills needed for higher education.
For many students, success in Advanced Placement can result in college credit with significant tuition savings; for others, it may provide an advantage for admission to elite college programs or scholarships. Advanced Placement is rigorous coursework Pearland ISD provides, and the exposure to rigorous curriculum, expected success, and practical experience with college coursework prepares students for what comes next. Increasing numbers in Advanced Placement achievements indicate that we are improving the odds for success when our students graduate from our high schools.
