California’s Val Verde Unified Honored as an AP District of the Year

Mar. 2012

Western News

(From left) Juan Cabral, Principal of Citrus Hill High School, Alan Jensen, Ed.D, Superintendent of Val Verde Unified School District, Olivier Wong, Principal of Rancho Verde High School and Kenneth M. Young, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools

Val Verde Unified School District in California has been recognized as an Advanced Placement District of the Year for being the nation’s leader among medium-sized school districts in simultaneously expanding access to Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) courses and maintaining or improving AP Exam performance. Val Verde’s students, teachers, district and school administrators, local public officials, and College Board staff celebrated at an awards ceremony on Feb. 17.

“Expanding access to AP while maintaining or improving performance has been a challenge for most school districts nationwide, but not Val Verde Unified School District,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “Thanks to new strategies and initiatives, dedicated teachers and administrators, and hardworking students, Val Verde is building a foundation for success. Congratulations to the district on a job done well.”

Val Verde’s numbers are impressive. From 2009 to 2011, the district:

• Increased student participation in AP by 9 percent annually
• Increased the percentage of students earning a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam by 11 percent annually
• Increased the percentage of traditionally underserved minority students earning a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam by 13 percent annually

Much of Val Verde’s success can be attributed to Val Verde Scholars, a specialized program created so well-qualified students have a rigorous and structured pathway to prepare them for college success. Each student admitted to the Val Verde Scholars program receives a netbook, access to a designated computer lab, and the benefit of several college and university visits. Faculty members also mentor these students on a regular basis.

“We work closely with students to instill the value of hard work and personal character,” said Val Verde Unified School District Superintendent Alan Jensen. “Students must complete a community service requirement and are encouraged to participate in a variety of cocurricular and extracurricular activities. Students come to believe it is fashionable to be academically successful.”

Val Verde was one of three districts selected to receive the College Board’s Advanced Placement District of the Year Award. Polk County Public Schools in Florida received this award in the large-district category, and Copiague Public Schools in New York was chosen in the small-district category.

All three winning districts will be honored again at a celebratory plenary session at the AP Annual Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on July 21.

Research indicates that students who succeed on an AP Exam during high school typically experience greater academic success in college and are more likely to earn a college degree than their peers. Helping more students learn at a higher level and develop the critical thinking skills and content knowledge essential for college success is an objective shared by all members of the AP community, from AP teachers to district and school administrators to college professors. Many are experimenting with a variety of initiatives and strategies to determine how to expand access and improve student performance simultaneously.