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Box Elder reports increases in AP participation and early-grade literacy and math benchmarks
Summary
District officials told the board that AP exam participation rose to 600 exams (555 students) with a 69% pass rate and cited double-digit gains in kindergarten through third-grade benchmark scores since 2021.
District assessment staff reported improved outcomes in AP participation and early-grade literacy and numeracy at the Sept. 10 board meeting.
Jeff Morris, the district’s assessment lead, said 600 Advanced Placement exams were taken by 555 students this year, with an overall pass rate of 69%. He noted participation and pass-rate increases at individual high schools; Bear River High School, for example, recorded more than 100 additional students taking AP exams compared with 2021 and posted higher pass rates.
On early-grade measures, the district reported steady year-over-year gains. Kindergarten benchmark performance improved from about 81.5% (2021–22) to 89% (2024–25). First-grade benchmark performance rose from about 62% to 78% across the same period. The district also reported strong gains on Acadience math measures and said second-grade classrooms recorded examples of 100% growth and proficiency in some cases.
Morris said the district’s growth over the past three years for third-grade literacy outpaced statewide averages and that Box Elder ranked highly among larger districts in the state. Board members and administrators credited full-day kindergarten, instructional teams, instructional coaches and teacher collaboration for the improvements.
Why it matters: Rising early-literacy and AP participation rates indicate improved access to rigorous coursework and foundational skills, which district leaders said supports long-term academic opportunities and postsecondary pathways.
Notes: The district said statewide comparison data for some grades were not yet published for 2024–25; some figures were presented as district aggregates and compared to past years.
