Three SCCPSS High Schools Named to 2025 Advanced Placement School Honor Roll

College Board this week announced that three high schools in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System have been named to the 2025 Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning Platinum, Silver, and Bronze distinctions. The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening participation. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.

The three SCCPSS schools receiving the honor are:

·       Savannah Arts Academy – Platinum Honor

·       Islands High School – Silver Honor

·       New Hampstead High School – Bronze Honor

For a school to be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll in a given year, it must:  

• Meet each of the following criteria for their students in the most recent graduating class; these criteria are anchored in research-based relationships between AP and college outcomes: 
  • College Culture: 40% or more of the graduating cohort took at least 1 AP Exam during high school.  
  • College Credit: 25% or more of the graduating cohort scored a 3 or higher on at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
  • College Optimization: 2% or more of the graduating cohort took 5 or more AP Exams during high school. At least 1 of those exams was taken in 9th or 10th grade, so that students are spreading their AP experience across grades rather than feeling disproportionate pressure in any single year. 

Savannah Arts Academy received a Platinum Distinction with 100% of seniors taking at least one AP Exam during high school, 82% of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 42% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams!

Islands High School received a Silver Distinction with 56% of seniors taking at least one AP Exam during high school, 32% of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 11% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams.

New Hampstead High School received a Bronze Distinction with 49% of seniors taking at least one AP Exam during high school, 28% of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, and 2% of seniors who took five or more AP Exams.

SCCPSS Program Specialist Jennifer Rine says, “This achievement reflects the collective work happening across our district — from teachers and AP coordinators to counselors, administrators, and district teams dedicated to advanced learning — to strengthen opportunities for students. Savannah Arts Academy, Islands High School, and New Hampstead High School are being recognized today, but this success is built on a shared commitment districtwide to grow access, support, and student achievement in Advanced Placement.”

“AP gives students opportunity to engage with college-level work, earn college credit and placement, and build professional career skills they can use no matter what path they choose after high school,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “Congratulations to this year’s AP School Honor Roll recipients for proving it’s possible to expand participation in these rigorous courses and still drive strong performance.”

college Board’s Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) enables students to pursue college-level studies—with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both—while still in high school. Through AP courses in 40 subjects, each culminating in a challenging exam, students learn to think critically, construct solid arguments, and see many sides of an issue—skills that prepare them for college and beyond.