WORCESTER – Thursday, October 3, 2024 – Three high schools in the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) have been named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program School Honor Roll for increasing college-readiness among students.
Doherty Memorial High School received a silver medal recognition, while South High Community School and University Park Campus School (UPCS) each received bronze medal recognitions.
All three schools also earned “platinum” scores on one award indicator. Doherty and South were both ranked platinum for “College Optimization,” which recognizes students who have completed at least five AP courses; and UPCS was rated platinum for “College Culture,” which highlights grade 12 students who have taken at least one AP course.
In 2024, all high schools in WPS saw increased participation and qualifying scores in Advanced Placement courses and exams, resulting in a three-year high in both categories.
“Congratulations to all of our hard-working scholars who are eager to achieve at high levels to prepare themselves for the world ahead,” said Dr. Rachel H. Monárrez, Superintendent of WPS. “Thank you to all of our educators for empowering our scholars to excel and embody the future-ready characteristics of Vision of a Learner.”
Additionally, Doherty, South and UPCS also received the AP Access Awards for encouraging low-income and underrepresented minority students to take AP courses. The percentage of students in at least one of these categories who took at least one AP Exam before graduation is proportional to, or above, each school’s population, demonstrating a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework.