High schools in Placentia-Yorba Linda district increase pass rates on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate examinations

Scores achieved on university-level Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate examinations by students at the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District's four comprehensive high schools jumped to new heights again this year.

Not only did the district's Advanced Placement pass rate increase to a four-year high of 84.81%, but the number of individual exams administered reached an all-time district high of 4,260 in a record total of 31 subject areas.

And for the second-straight year, the district was named to the Advanced Placement District Honor Roll, due to increased participation in and access to Advanced Placement coursework and increasing or maintaining the percentage of students who pass the exams.

Passing is considered to be a score of “3” or higher on a five-point scale. Passing scores can earn university-level credits and allow students to bypass introductory courses, with decisions on credit and placement made by individual universities. Most tests run three hours in length.

This year's honor roll distinction was granted to just 373 school districts in the United States and Canada, including only 25 districts in California and five in Orange County.

The 4,260 exams were administered during a two-week period in May, with make-ups given later for the many students who had different tests scheduled at the same time. The number of tests increased from 4,088 last year and 4,070 the year before. Each exam costs $92, with lower rates based on family income.

Here's how the four high schools fared:

--El Dorado: 880 tests were administered in 24 subjects, with the Hawk pass rate increasing to 80.23% from 79.42% for 861 tests last year.

--Esperanza: 726 tests were administered in 26 subjects, with the Aztec pass rate increasing to 81.54% from 80.23% for 703 tests last year.

--Valencia: 1,652 tests were administered in 28 subjects, with the Tiger pass rate dipping a bit to 86.74% from 87.85% for 1,531 tests last year.

--Yorba Linda: 1,002 tests were administered in 27 subjects, with the Mustang pass rate increasing to 91.02% from 88.22% for 992 tests last year.

Some schools offer AP classes beginning in the freshman year. For example, at Valencia, 143 mostly ninth grade students took the Computer Science Principles exam, with a 95.8% pass rate, and 54 mostly ninth grade students took the Human Geography exam, with a 96.3% pass rate.

The most popular exam was English Language and Composition, administered to mostly juniors: 205 at Valencia, 135 at Yorba Linda, 116 at El Dorado and 107 at Esperanza.

The International Baccalaureate program at Valencia administered 468 exams in 22 subjects with a 94.23% pass rate, up from 90.2% in 20 subjects last year. Passing on IB exams is “4” or better on a seven-point scale.

Coordinator Fred Jenkins noted the school had 73 students earn the full IB diploma this year, with 75 expected in 2020 and 95 for 2021. The diploma pass rate was 96%.