Superintendent: Ashland posts high AP pass rates but notes equity gaps and budget risks
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Summary
Superintendent Jim told the Jan. 28 School Committee that Ashland students performed strongly on AP exams taught by district staff (493 exams, 4.23 average, ~98% pass rate) while participation is low (~25% of students took an AP) and Hispanic/Latino students are underrepresented; he warned budget pressures could threaten AP offerings and announced a Feb. 4 budget workshop.
Superintendent Jim presented midyear Advanced Placement (AP) data to the Ashland School Committee on Jan. 28, saying district‑taught exams show strong results but uneven participation.
Jim said Ashland ranks near the top among six comparison towns on overall AP pass rate and explained that an AP passing score is 3–5, which can translate to college credit. He reported that 234 individual students (about 25% of the district’s 884 students) took at least one AP exam last year, that 493 exams were taught by Ashland faculty, and that the average score for Ashland‑taught exams was 4.23 with a reported 98% pass rate. "These, you know this slide here shows the 100% pass rate in these subject areas. Amazing," Jim said in his presentation.
Jim also flagged an equity concern: he said Hispanic/Latino students make up about 21% of the high‑school population but accounted for roughly 6% of AP exams taken, a disparity he described as "minus 14%" and one the district plans to examine further. Board members asked whether the district has used College Board data or PSAT/SAT flags to identify students who might succeed in AP courses; staff said the College Board provides projection reports and that outreach and teacher recommendations are part of the placement process.
On budget implications, Jim warned that scheduling single‑section or "singleton" AP classes is challenging and that budget cuts or staffing reductions could reduce the district’s capacity to offer high‑level courses. He announced a budget workshop scheduled for Feb. 4 at the David Mendez School (band/music room) at 4 p.m. and said principals are preparing multiple budget scenarios. "I worry...that we're going to potentially lose positions that would impact the ability to take these high level courses," he said.
The committee did not take immediate action on AP programming; next steps include further data disaggregation, outreach discussions and the Feb. 4 budget workshop where the committee will review budget options and potential impacts on course offerings.