Five Pee Dee high schools have improved AP scores

Five high schools in the Pee Dee had a higher percentage of 3 to 5 scores on the 2008 Advanced Placement exam compared with 2007’s scores, even with the number of students tested either increasing or decreasing, according to Advanced Placement results released Thursday by the state Department of Education.

Cheraw High School in Chesterfield County School District; South Florence and Wilson high schools in Florence School District 1; Lake City High School in Florence School District 3; and Marion High School in Marion School District 1 all show a higher percentage than the previous year.

Cheraw had 33 students to take an exam and 79 percent, or 30 students, scored 3 or higher. Last year, the school had the same number of students to take an exam. Sixty-nine percent, or 29 students, scored 3 or higher.

At South Florence, 44 students took an exam, compared with 69 the previous year. Fifty-six percent of the 44 students tested in 2008 scored 3 or higher, compared with 32 percent last year.

Of the 50 students at Wilson who took an exam, 56 percent scored 3 or higher, compared with 44 percent of the 55 students from the previous year.

Lake City had two fewer students to take the AP exam compared with 2007. Of 31 students taking an exam, 27 percent scored 3 or higher. Twenty-one percent scored 3 or higher in 2007.

Fifty-two percent of the 36 Marion High students who took an exam scored 3 or higher, compared with 45 percent of the 40 students who took an exam in 2007.

High schools that had no AP results were Lamar and Darlington high schools in Darlington County School District, and Hemingway and Kingstree high schools in Williamsburg County School District.

All other high schools had students to take an AP exam, but none had scores 3 or higher.

Since 1984, each school district in South Carolina has been required to provide Advanced Placement (AP) courses in all secondary schools that include grade 11 or 12. These classes prepare students for the national AP exams. Students who score 3, 4 or 5 on an exam are considered qualified to receive credit for the equivalent courses at colleges and universities that give credit for AP exams.

The five most-taken AP exams in 2008 were the same five as the previous year: United States history, English literature and composition, English language and composition, calculus AB and biology.

The state department also released International Baccalaureate results.

Wilson had 55 students to take at least one subject area. A total of 170 subject area tests were taken, with 122 tests with scores of 4 or higher.

Seventy-two percent of the tests had scores of 4 or higher.

The number of IB diplomas attempted was 27, with 16 actually being awarded, or 59 percent.

The International Baccalaureate program incorporates international standards and provides a rigorous academic curriculum that includes foreign languages, English, mathematics, social studies, science, the arts and technology, while emphasizing life skills and a sense of social responsibility through community service.

Each test in the subject groups is graded on a scale of 1 to 7.