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3 GVSU charter high schools lead the 2023 AP School Honor Roll
November 20, 2023
Three GVSU charter public high schools are leading the way when it comes to broadening access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses and delivering exceptional results.
Black River Public School, Grand River Preparatory High School, and West Michigan Aviation Academy each made the Michigan 2023 AP School Honor Roll. In total, 26% of the 487 eligible schools in Michigan earned an award.
The AP School Honor Roll, offers schools recognition across four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Schools on the AP School Honor Roll may also earn the AP Access Award, honoring schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework.
Grand River Preparatory High School was one of only ten schools to receive a Platinum Award. They also earned the Access Award, making them the only high school in the state to earn both. Black River Public School and West Michigan Aviation Academy both earned Gold with Access Awards, a distinction that only 5 schools total received.
For a school to be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll, it must:
- Meet each of the following criteria anchored in research-based
relationships between AP and college outcomes:
- College Culture: 40% or more of graduating cohort took at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
- College Credit: 25% or more of the graduating cohort scored a 3 or higher on at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
- College Optimization: 2% or more of the graduating cohort took 5 or more AP Exams during high school. At least 1 of those exams was taken in 9th or 10th grade, so that students are spreading their AP experience across grades rather than feeling disproportionate pressure in any single year.
- Have full-time grade-12 enrollments.
Schools can earn the additional AP Access Award if the percentage of AP Exam takers who are underrepresented minority and/or low-income students mirrors the school’s overall student demographics.