Habersham County’s high schoolers and their teachers have caught the eye of the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) for their high advanced placement (AP) testing scores, as well as the availability of AP classes in Habersham County.
Both the Habersham County Ninth Grade Academy and Habersham Central High School have been recognized by the state, receiving AP titles from the GDOE.
“We are committed to expanding opportunities for Georgia students, including in advanced and accelerated coursework,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a press release. “I offer my sincere congratulations to each of this year’s AP Honor Schools, and thank each teacher, student, and school leader who worked hard to create strong AP opportunities in these Georgia schools.”
Habersham County Schools Superintendent Matthew Cooper, as well as principals from HCHS and HNGA shared the news with the Board of Education Monday night.
The Habersham Ninth Grade Academy has been recognized by the GDOE as an AP Access and Support School for their high AP exam scores.
The distinction is given to schools with at least 30 percent of AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic, and 30 percent of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher. HNGA is one of five schools in the region to receive this recognition, alongside three Hall County schools and one Gainesville City school.
Principal David Leenman says that HNGA students scored higher than the national average on the AP Human Geography exam last year, with the national average at 52.5 percent, while HNGA students scored an average of 62 percent.
Habersham Central High School was named an AP STEM School and an AP STEM Achievement School in recognition of its AP STEM class offerings and its high AP STEM test scores. HCHS currently offers 17 AP courses, six of which are designated as AP STEM courses. They were the only school in the region to receive the achievement school recognition.
“Habersham Central remains committed, and really our school system remains committed, to giving our students a competitive edge,” HCHS Principal Jonathan Stribling said. “Our students can leave Habersham County’s school system and achieve their goals, no matter what they are after high school, and our advanced placement program is certainly a large part of that.”
