Placentia-Yorba Linda high schools set records for AP, IB testing; individual campus results listed

Several records were set by the hundreds of students at the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district's four comprehensive high schools who took Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations earlier this year.

Scores earned by these students maintained a years-long district tradition of administering more tests to more students with a higher percentage of students earning passing scores at most high school sites.

Students earning passing or better scores on the 38 examinations in the Advanced Placement program can earn university-level credits and often bypass introductory courses, although each individual institution makes its own decisions on credit and placement options.

This year, 4,070 AP tests were administered district-wide over a 14-day period in May, up from last year's 3,890. The district pass rate is 83.4 percent, with passing considered to be a score of “3” or better on a five-point scale on tests taken by 9^th through 12^th grade students.

Here's how the individual high schools fared:

--At El Dorado High School, the number of tests administered jumped from 707 last year to 810 this year, with the Hawk pass rate edging up from 75.67 percent to 76.3 percent.

--At Esperanza High School, the number of tests administered increased from 646 last year to 710 this year, but the Aztec pass rate declined from 80.03 percent to 76.34 percent.

--At Valencia High School, the number of tests administered increased from 1,469 last year to 1,565 this year, with the Tiger pass rate advancing from 85.98 percent to 86.77 percent.

--At Yorba Linda High School, the number of tests administered declined from 1,068 last year to 985 this year, with the Mustang pass rate increasing from 87.36 percent to 89.04 percent.

California's statewide pass rate is about 64 percent, while the global rate hovers at 61 percent.

Many students take more than one test each year, and several students who have taken a dozen or more tests through four years of high school begin college careers with sophomore standing. Each test costs $93, but limited-income households pay $5 per test.

The International Baccalaureate program at Valencia High School also set records, including an all-time high of 530 tests taken in 21 subjects, up from 471 exams in 19 subjects last year. The school's pass rate was 95 percent, with 503 tests earning a “4” or higher on a seven-point scale.

This year, 76 students earned IB's full-diploma, up from 64 last year and 41 the year before. “We expect about 90” for next year, stated Fred Jenkins, program coordinator. The school's pass rate for students who attempt and successfully complete the full-diploma is 91 percent; the global rate is 79.3 percent.

Jenkins said he anticipates 185 freshmen, 149 sophomores, 106 juniors and 95 seniors in the IB program when school opens Aug. 29. Both AP and IB students completed reading, essay and other assignments over the summer.