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Holmen High reports rising AP participation, strong pass rates in many subjects
Summary
Holmen High School reported higher Advanced Placement participation and an 84% pass rate (3 or higher) on AP exams in 2024–25, with particular strengths in English, government and calculus and lower pass rates in some science exams.
Holmen High School reported increased Advanced Placement participation in 2024–25 and strong scores in several subjects, its career and academic planning counselor told the Holmen Board of Education on Sept. 22.
Lindsey Sipe, Holmen High School academic and career planning counselor, told the board the district administered 254 AP exams to 182 students last year and that 153 students — 84 percent of participating students — earned a score of 3 or higher on at least one AP exam.
Sipe said the school typically offers 11 to 13 AP classes each year and that most AP students are juniors and seniors, with AP U.S. History generating much of the 10th-grade participation. "Students who earn a 3 or greater on the AP exam ... are likely to receive some kind of credit," she said.
The presentation showed subject-level pass rates of 100 percent in Literature and Composition and Physics (where offered), 95 percent in U.S. Government, 93 percent in Calculus AB, and high marks in computer science and language courses. Sipe said scores in biology (64 percent) and chemistry (67 percent) were lower than other subjects.
When board members asked about the lower science pass rates, Sipe noted staff turnover and normal year-to-year variation: "We've had some staff changes ... sometimes we just see ebb and flow with students." She also said some students are increasingly choosing dual-credit options instead of AP exams, which can reduce AP test-taking numbers in classes such as statistics.
Sipe described logistical changes to testing: the district moved largely to digital AP exams in May and administers tests at the district office. Students who qualify for free lunch test for free; students who qualify for reduced-price lunch pay a discounted rate, while others paid $99 per exam.
The board received the AP report as a consent/ information item; no board action followed. The district plans to continue offering a range of AP courses while tracking uptake of dual-credit alternatives.
Going forward, board members said they appreciated the high pass rates in many subjects and asked staff to monitor staffing stability and the interplay between AP and dual-credit enrollment.
