Actions in Academics: Rising Participation and Performance in Advanced Placement

In high school classrooms across Gilbert Public Schools, the standard of what it means to be "future-ready" is constantly evolving. In previous years, “future-ready” was just about earning a diploma. Today, it is about building the academic skills and confidence to thrive in the modern world that follows high school graduation. This evolution is evident in numerous ways on our campuses, including the growth of Advanced Placement (AP) courses and testing.

In 2022, Gilbert Public Schools facilitated approximately 1,800 AP exams across all high schools. This year, GPS is on track to deliver 6,200. This nearly four-fold increase represents thousands of individual decisions by students to push past their comfort zones, striving for academic excellence and increased opportunities post-high school.

AP courses consist of college-level curriculum and exams developed by the College Board, and allow high school students to experience the rigor of university-level work. By taking AP courses, students can earn college credit eligible at thousands of colleges and universities worldwide. In AP courses, students also develop essential critical thinking skills, time management, and the academic confidence needed to succeed in post-secondary education.

When a program scales this rapidly, and the number of students involved increases so drastically, there is a concern that success rates may dip. However, we have seen the opposite. As participation has surged, the district-wide pass rate - which includes students scoring a 3, 4, or 5 - has climbed from 72% to over 80%. Furthermore, the number of students achieving top-tier scores of "4" has more than doubled since 2022. These numbers prove our students aren't just taking more AP tests - they are achieving higher test results.

Ultimately, the projected 6,200 exams for the 2025-2026 school year are about more than just earning college credit or saving on future tuition. This effort to grow rigorous academic opportunities is about preparing students for life after graduation. It’s about teaching a student how to manage a collegiate syllabus, how to think critically under pressure, and how to approach a high standard of excellence with confidence.

The increase in student participation in AP is the result of efforts made to identify and invite students into advanced learning. Currently, Gilbert Public Schools provides the Preliminary-SAT (PSAT) test to all 10th-grade students. Using the PSAT data, school and district leaders are able to identify students who have the potential to succeed in AP courses. By reaching out to these students directly, GPS staff are working to ensure that the AP classrooms reflect the talents of the district’s entire student body. 

To ensure our students are supported, the district works to support the educators who interact with students every day. Each year, Gilbert Public Schools runs the AP Summer Institute, a three-day professional development event where College Board-qualified instructors train AP teachers from across the country in instructional strategies, exam-aligned curriculum, and more. AP teachers at GPS are expected to participate every three years to recertify and continue to use the best instructional strategies for students.

GPS staff also review master schedules to make AP more accessible to students and to identify courses that have the potential to shift to AP. For example, the rigor of Honors Pre-Calculus was found to be similar to AP Pre-Calculus, so the shift was made to offer the AP course. By making that shift, GPS is continuing to offer a rigorous course that students are capable of completing while also providing the opportunity for students to earn college credit by passing the AP exam. 

When many students and parents think of AP, they think of Calculus or English Literature. While those remain important components of the AP program, GPS currently offers much broader and often surprising AP courses. GPS students have the opportunity to find an AP path that matches their passions, whether that’s in the arts, technology, or social sciences.

The variety of AP courses offered across Gilbert Public Schools includes:

• AP 3D Art and Design,
• AP Psychology,
• AP Computer Science,
• AP Drawing,
• AP Business with Personal Finance, and more!

When a student realizes they can succeed in a course that is benchmarked in AP, their perspective on what they can achieve changes. Explore the many AP courses available across GPS at GilbertSchools.net/AP.