Harford Public Schools Recognized For Advanced Placement Excellence

More Harford County students are getting college credit before they graduate high school, and the county is getting its own stellar grades as a result.

Progress in Advanced Placement course participation, availability and test scores, has earned the school system a spot on the Advanced Placement District Honor Roll, among 539 public school districts in the country. 

Harford County Public Schools have seen a steady increase in AP course enrollment since 2010, and at the same time, an increasing percent of students receiving scores of 3 or higher on AP exams, according to a release from the school system.

Students take AP classes to prepare them for competitive standardized tests. If students meet requirements set by their college of choice, tests translate into college credit. Often exam scores of 3 or higher equate to college credit, a release from the school system states.

"This honor speaks to the outstanding work taking place in our high schools to ensure each of our students is prepared for life beyond high school," Superintendent of Schools Robert M. Tomback said in a statement issued by the school system. “Our students are capable and deserving of highly rigorous coursework and we know this because more and more of our students are taking AP classes and are successful with the college-level expectations.”

The College Board awarded Harford County with a place on the third annual Advanced Placement District Honor Roll based on three years of data, increase in participation and access to AP courses, steady or increasing percentage of exams taken by minority students and improvement in performance levels, the release states.