Downers Grove North High School has been named one of the best public high schools in the U.S. by Newsweek magazine, based upon the number of Advanced Placement tests given at the school divided by its number of graduating seniors.
North ranked 1,242 out of 1,500 schools, outpacing Naperville Central, Naperville North, Hinsdale South and Glenbrook South. Its “Equity and Excellence” rate — the percentage of all graduating seniors who scored a three or better on at least one AP test whether or not they took an AP class — was 28 percent versus the average of 15.2 percent for all schools.
For purposes of the rankings, Newsweek also considers the number of International Baccalaureate and Cambridge tests administered by schools. According to the magazine’s Web site, a score of “1.00 is a modest standard” which can be reached if “only half of its students take one AP, IB or Cambridge test in their junior year and one in their senior year.”
However, only five percent of an estimated 27,000 American public high schools met that standard, according to Newsweek. Clearly, the mag is a big proponent of AP classes. This from reporter Jay Mathews:
“To send a student off to college without having had an AP, IB or Cambridge course and test is like insisting that child learn to ride a bike without ever taking off the training wheels until the day you send the kid onto the city streets alone. It is dumb, and in my view is a form of educational malpractice.”
It’s an interesting point of view, but one that may not fly here in Downers Grove. How about it? Do you feel AP courses should be an essential part of each kid’s high school education? And if your child has taken and passed AP tests, were they honored by their college of choice?
I heard of one outstanding 2009 graduate who will enter a selective college as a sophomore this fall due to the number of AP successes he racked up at North. One the other hand, the son of an out-of-state friend had to repeat physics in college despite a high AP test score because his school preferred to keep their engineering students matriculating in lockstep.
Clearly, most of us wouldn’t mind shaving a year off the exhorbitant college tab, but does it really work that way? Inquiring minds want to know.
All I can say is that my AP classes in high school were far more challenging and educational than any of my Freshman classes at a Big 10 university.
I too would appreciate some feedback, obviously anecdotal, on whether AP classes/tests are paying off for 99 students. The benefit of a larger knowledge base is a given but a cost savings down the road is a nice carrot for the intense scholarship required.
Some say that the bigger state schools don’t accept AP credits as a means to pad their bottom line by guaranteeing that 5th year. What a slap in the face to such hard working kids.
A local award winning educator once pointed out that despite the big ticket price tag at area private high schools none can compare with the AP offerings in 99. Implementing an Intl. Bacc. program would really raise the bar.
Yes, it does. Or at least it can.
Kudo’s to North. Despite the Downers oddities that we encounter every week, the public school’s here are the greatest strength and greatest draw that this village possesses.
Let’s not be afraid of challenging our kids, and lets not be afraid to help.
Our schools do a great job getting kids prepared for college. I am happy that DGN was recognized, but I question Newsweek’s motives for writing this article.
I don’t understand, what do you mean “question Newsweek’s motives for writing this article” ?
For those of you who don’t know, Newsweek is owned by The Washington Post. The Washington Post is a liberally biased news and educational organization. There list of top high schools does not show the actual success of any school at all. It merely shows the amount of advanced placement test taken. That in and of itself is very biased. Newsweek magazine is tailored to very elitist readers and not the mainstream. Our schools do a fine job of getting kids ready for college, I don’t need some magazine to tell me we have great schools.
Earl,
The point I was trying to make is that Newsweek is a puppet to the Democratic party. The Democratic party is actually a very elitist club that most of you, who are Democrats will never know. That is how they want it. The Democratic party is not really that concerned with poor people, gay people, green technology or anything that they vote for. The Democratic party is in business to keep the divisiveness between the haves and have not’s, blacks and whites, gays and straights, rich and poor in this country. That is the way they control you. You can choose to believe me or not but the reality is starting to shine through. It only takes one generation to lose your Democracy. That is what is happening today. Sorry for my somewhat off topic political post but the truth needs to be told, even if people do not want to hear it.
“Newsweek magazine is tailored to very elitist readers and not the mainstream”..
By elitist do you mean ‘grade school diploma and passed the constitution test’?? Which means the ‘mainstream’ is hanging around the Metra station and washing their clothes in the fountain.
The article has no ‘motive’ that I can discern other than to rate high school performance based on a specific set of standards or criteria, and I’m happy north has performed so well.
Then again, maybe the HIGH SCHOOL itself is a another twisted pawn of the Democratic Party….
…they’re everywhere…
N0t that my opinion matters, whatever Newsweek motives are; the facts are the facts: way to go North staff and students! Prime time for DGN!
Newsweek’s article is basically stating that AP tests are going to be the litmus test that the Federal government is going to use to measure school success rates. If only 1500 schools make this list and there are approximately 27,000 schools in this country that are measured then this article is saying that our schools are failing. That is my point.
Newsweek is going to help President Obama pass more legislation all in the name of the children, in order to improve our education system. We don’t need more money spent on schools. We need better management and less Federal government intervention. Get rid of NCLB and let teachers teach. The states and localities need to be given control to spend your tax money on programs tailored to the students at each school. Inner city poor children have different needs compared to Downers Grove children. We don’t need the Fed’s money to educate our children. Did you know that the Federal dollars the school system’s get all come out of your federal income tax anyway!! Why not just pay that in your property taxes so you have local control of these funds. This is the conservative approach, not to be confused with the Republican approach. I may vote Republican because I view them as the lesser of the two evils but that is not my true conviction. Conservatism is true freedom. A friend of mine let me borrow “The Conscience of a Conservative” by Barry Goldwater. A must read for those of you who think that Conservatives and Republicans are one in the same.
Well stated.
Since your accepting recommendations for summer reading, may I suggest ‘Deer Hunting with Jesus’ by Joe Bageant. It was not what I expected and I think you’ll enjoy it.
Congratulations to DGN for their strong and effective use of the AP program. However, I do wish to note, my impression, that under David Eblan, District 99 had somewhat different approaches to the AP program at North and South. North largely encouraged college track students to take AP courses and made them readily available. At South, participation and availability was frustratingly restricted by the limited number of offerings vs. number of interested students.