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Farmington counselors report strong AP and dual‑enrollment participation; introduce School Links planner
Summary
Counseling leader Kate Martarelli told the Farmington Board of Education that Farmington High offers 27 AP courses, a large share of students take college‑level work, and the district is expanding dual‑enrollment and a new course‑planning platform called School Links.
Kate Martarelli, the district’s school counseling department leader, told the Farmington Board of Education on Nov. 17 that Farmington High School’s students continued high participation in Advanced Placement and college‑level courses and that the district is expanding tools to help students plan for college and careers.
"Farmington High School offers 27 AP courses," Martarelli said, and she reported that a high share of students take advanced coursework: "83% of our Farmington High School juniors and seniors took one or more AP courses," she said. She added that 89% of AP students scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam, and that 105 students received AP Scholar recognition at various levels.
Martarelli also reviewed standardized‑testing and cohort reporting. She told the board that the district administers the SAT on a school day for all juniors and that the district’s reported mean SAT was 563, with an evidence‑based reading and writing mean of 579; she gave a mean ACT composite of 27.9 for students who took that test. Martarelli explained that cohort reporting can vary because the College Board typically uses a student’s June score for cohort summaries and because some students take tests more than once.
The presentation emphasized dual‑enrollment growth. Martarelli said Farmington offers UConn Early College Experience courses and CT State/Tunxis dual‑enrollment options, with 11 unique ECE courses and two CT State dual‑enrollment offerings available in areas ranging from personal finance to business. She said about 65% of the high‑school population participated in at least one AP, ECE or dual‑enrollment course and that UConn ECE participation rose to roughly 200 students attempting college credit.
Martarelli previewed a new student planning tool, School Links, which syncs with PowerSchool and allows students to map a four‑year course plan and view career clusters and goal information. "It’s just so collaborative," she said, describing how the platform integrates individual assessments and course requirements. Board members asked whether the planner supports career pathing and Martarelli confirmed that career clusters and goals are linked on the platform.
Board members credited faculty and counselors for the gains. When asked whether the shift to digital testing affected AP results, Martarelli said instruction and curriculum alignment combined with teacher work are key drivers of improved outcomes.
The board did not take additional action on the report; Martarelli and staff said they will continue to use the data to support individual student planning and district programming.
