Fresno Unified Recruits and Celebrates AP Students

Fresno Unified has seen a boost in enrollment in Advanced Placement courses with a 10% increase in students taking AP classes this spring when compared to spring of last year.

The district credits the additional 690 students enrolled to improved student support through each AP instructional coordinator at school sites. The AP instructional coordinator helps organize one-on-one tutoring plus free online tutoring with the Khan Academy.

The Khan Academy is a free resource provided by the College Board. AP instructional coordinators also heavily recruit students for AP classes with a personalized effort to find out what each student needs along the way.

Previously, Fresno Unified provided 260 hours of tutoring for each comprehensive high school. Now, each school site has more than 2,000 hours to provide tutoring and exam preparation.

"Fresno Unified is excited about the growth of students in Advanced Placement courses," said instructional superintendent Katie Russell. "We strongly believe the individualized tutoring and support for each student has helped encourage enrollment and retention so we can continue to provide career ready graduates district wide."

To celebrate their students' success, this year Bullard High School hosted a brand new event for students who have earned a qualifying score on an AP test. On Feb. 23, the students gathered at Pardini's for a dinner event that included award certificates and T-shirts. A video featured testimonials from students.

Bullard is hoping to bring more awareness of AP tests and reward students for their hard work. A total of 89 Bullard students were honored for their achievements in AP courses such as Spanish, Human Geography, Government, European History and more.

Edison High School also acknowledges AP students who've earned a qualifying score on their tests by holding a lunch and pep rally on campus. Many Fresno Unified high schools also host parent nights to celebrate their students' success on AP tests.