Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools were among 276 schools in Georgia named Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools for 2024 in an announcement by State School Superintendent Richard Woods on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Cedar Shoals earned a designation in five of the seven applicable AP Honor School categories, while Clarke Central was named in two of the categories. 

Based on 2023 AP exam results from last spring, Cedar Shoals was named an AP Humanities and AP STEM School as well an AP Humanities Achievement and AP STEM Achievement School. 

AP Humanities Schools administer at least five exams in each of the following categories: one ELA course, two social studies courses, one fine arts course, and one world language course, with a minimum of 25 total exams administered. AP STEM Schools have a minimum of five students test in at least four of the following courses: AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A, and AP Computer Science Principles, with a minimum of 25 exams administered. AP Humanities Achievement Schools and AP STEM Achievement Schools have at least 50% of exams taken for those areas scored 3 or higher. 

Clarke Central was also named an AP STEM School, and both schools were once again named AP Access and Support Schools, an honor they both have garnered the last several consecutive years in addition to the AP STEM School honor. AP Access and Support Schools have at least 30% of their AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African American and/or Hispanic and have 30% of all AP exam-takers earning a score of 3 or higher, with a minimum of 25 exams administered. 

“We are extremely proud of the achievements of our AP students and the dedicated teachers who work hard to provide an environment in which their students are able to thrive,” said Dr. Robbie Hooker, CCSD Superintendent. “This recognition further demonstrates CCSD’s commitment to creating educational journeys that empower students to fulfill their potential.”

AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning at the high school level; students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 (on a 1-5 grading scale) on an AP exam may receive college credit. GaDOE began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.