Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools were among 273 high schools in Georgia that were named Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools in 2023 by State School Superintendent Richard Woods in an announcement Thursday, Feb. 16. 

The 2023 AP Honor Schools are named in eight categories, based on the results of 2022 AP course exams. Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central were both named AP STEM Schools, while Cedar Shoals was also named an AP STEM Achievement School. 

AP STEM Schools have a minimum of five students test in at least four AP STEM courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles).

AP STEM Achievement Schools are AP STEM schools with at least 50% of all AP STEM exam-takers earning scores of 3 or higher.

Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central were also once again named AP Access and Support Schools, an honor they both have garnered the last several consecutive years in addition to the AP STEM School honor. AP Access and Support Schools have at least 30% of their AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as African-American and/or Hispanic and have 30% of all AP exam-takers earning a score of 3 or higher. 

“We are thrilled to have both of our traditional high schools recognized as Advanced Placement Honor Schools,” said CCSD superintendent Dr. Robbier Hooker. “Participation in these accelerated courses presents increased opportunities for postsecondary success for our students. We are immensely proud of those students who have shown a commitment to their education by pushing themselves in the classroom through taking these more rigorous course offerings as well as the dedicated teachers who have helped those students realize and unlock their potential and have placed them in a position to be successful through engaging and meaningful instruction. Their efforts are shining examples as we work to center CCSD around excellence in public education.”