Students in the Columbia Public School system who took Advanced Placement exams in 2012 outscored their peers across Missouri. Some of the district’s highest scores came in Psychology and Biology.
Superintendent Chris Belcher credits the exceptional teachers and the ambitious students for the scores. But he says there is still room to grow – especially with minority enrollment.
“Some of that’s just the issue of getting enough kids to feel comfortable with that. We’re doing lots of efforts on that at the high schools to broaden the diversity within those courses,” Belcher said.
AP exams – taken primarily by 10th through 12th graders -- are scored on a one to five scale. And 82 percent of Columbia students taking the tests scored at least a three which gives them college credit in that subject.
As a state, Missouri tallied scores above the global average.