By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The number of Lynnfield High School students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams last year was the highest in the last five years, Principal Patricia Puglisi said during the School Committee’s Nov. 4 meeting.
The AP program provides students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school. AP exams are graded on a 5-4-3-2-1 numeric scale, with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest.
Generally, AP exam scores of 3 or above will result in advanced standing or college credit for incoming freshmen. Scores of 1 and 2 do not merit college placement. According to the College Board, a number of colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4 and 5 but each school ultimately determines which scores it will accept.
“Eighty five percent of our students scored a 3 or higher on an exam,” said Puglisi. “We had 207 students who took 529 exams. That 85 percent was the highest we have seen in five years, with an 8 percent growth over 2024. We saw an improvement in scores in 14 out of 19 of our courses. In three of our courses, every student achieved a 5 in Computer Science Principles, Drawing and Photography. Those were perfect 5s in those courses.”
Puglisi said there were 88 students who were named as an AP Scholar, which is given to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams. She said there were 19 students named as an AP Scholar with Honor, which is awarded to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more exams.
Additionally, Puglisi said there were 38 students who received AP Scholar with Distinction, which is given to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams.
Puglisi said the College Readiness Index from “U.S. News & World Report” classified Lynnfield High School as 13th out of 352 schools in Massachusetts.
“That is based on grade 12 students who took either 4 or more, 3 or more or 2 or more exams, and scored a 3 or higher,” said Puglisi. “What we are seeing as our students are getting to junior and senior year is they are engaging in AP coursework and are achieving at a very significantly high rate in those courses.”
Moving forward, Puglisi said LHS officials and teachers will be reviewing AP instructional planning reports in each content area.
“We have open access to our AP program for all students,” said Puglisi. “It is our goal to allow all students to take at least one AP exam prior to graduating from high school if they are considering moving on to a college or university. We are going to continue to reflect on our instructional practices in terms of differentiating to meet student needs in the AP program and not making it a one-size-fits-all. I think doing that is what is bringing the outcomes that we are seeing now.”
School Committee member Jamie Hayman recalled that the high school requires students enrolled in AP classes to take the AP exam.
“How do we feel like that is working?” asked Hayman. “Is that helpful? I am sure that not everyone who takes it does great, but it is the experience that we are pushing.”
Puglisi said the AP exam results provide LHS officials and teachers with more data. She recalled that the high school is offering dual enrollment credits in partnership with Southern New Hampshire University for the first time this year.
“I do think exploring the dual enrollment option tandem to AP is something that we may want to delve deeper into in terms of providing access to credits that are useful to students after graduation,” said Puglisi. “There are students who are going off to college who are getting lots of requirements waived based on their AP scores, but there are other universities that are kind of dialing back on that a little bit. Providing access to the credits is just another opportunity for students. The students who are choosing that option may take the AP exam, but they are not required to take the AP exam.”
LHS English Department Head Maryellen Iannibelli said the College Board requires students to sign up for AP exams in the fall, and students are required to pay for the exam. She said students are required to sign up for the dual enrollment program in October.
“Many of them chose the dual enrollment and take the AP exam because they don’t know where they are going to be,” said Iannibelli. “It depends on which college that they commit to, and certain colleges might have a requirement of a 4, 3 and so on, but they might not take the AP credit. That is why (dual enrollment) is another option because they will most likely take three credits transferred. They will get that on a separate transcript aside from their transcript from Lynnfield High School.”
Iannibelli said AP exams can be “lengthy” depending on the course.
“Many of the schools have exams that have an exam period for three hours to take a final,” said Iannibelli. “That is part of that experience as well. There are bigger conversations to be had as we look at it. A lot of the high schools in the area and in the Cape Ann League are offering the dual enrollment as well.”
School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy was impressed with the high school’s AP participate rate and scores.
“To me, this is a primary place that we offer our students opportunities to stretch themselves,” said Elworthy. “I really do appreciate that LHS has this philosophy. It makes every kid think they can do this and have the opportunity to do this. They get to sort of have some agency over it. I know some other schools have a different process. I am in full support. To me, our job is not scores. It is to serve our students best. I appreciate that philosophy and the opportunity for them to stretch.”
School Committee Vice Chair Jim Dillon agreed.
“Lynnfield High is not a terribly large high school, and to have 19 Advanced Placement offerings is absolutely fantastic for the students,” said Dillon. “I think what it does is allow kids who have strengths in a lot of various areas to be able to reach to the highest level within that area.”
Dillon said LHS offered nine AP courses when his youngest son graduated in 2011.
“Nineteen AP offerings give a lot of opportunity for a lot of kids,” said Dillon. “If we didn’t have that, they wouldn’t have that opportunity to demonstrate wherever they are going next. It is a real asset for the kids.”
School Committee member Kim Baker Donahue thanked LHS officials for making the AP classes accessible for students.
“Thank you for everything that you are doing,” said Baker Donahue. “It just continues from the bottom all the way up. I appreciate that.”
School Committee member Kate DePrizio commended LHS officials and teachers for making the AP program “accessible for everyone.”