Nine high schools within St. Vrain Valley Schools have been honored with the distinguished College Board Advanced Placement (AP) School Honor Roll designation, acknowledging outstanding student performance on college-level Advanced Placement exams.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition each year by meeting criteria that demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a college-going culture, expanding opportunities for students to earn college credit, and promoting college readiness.
St. Vrain Valley Schools offers a robust selection of 35 Advanced Placement courses for high school students, including those enrolled in New Meridian High School, St. Vrain Virtual High School, and LaunchED Virtual Academy, as well as through AGILE programming. In 2025, the district saw 3,048 students take 5,372 AP exams. Additionally, 1,147 students earned the AP Scholar recognition and 78 students earned the prestigious AP Capstone diploma. AP exam participation in St. Vrain Valley Schools has grown by 96% since 2016.
“From administrators and counselors having regular conversations with students about the benefits of taking AP classes, to current AP students writing letters to younger grade levels encouraging them to enroll in AP courses, there is a clear belief that all students can be successful in AP classes,” said Amanda Fitzgerald, the Advanced Placement Coordinator at Frederick High School. This same sentiment is echoed by Lindsay LaPorte, the Advanced Placement Coordinator at Mead High School, “We have set the expectation that all students take a college-level course prior to graduating. Setting this high expectation has helped encourage students to enroll in these classes.”
This comprehensive approach to academic rigor and encouragement of higher learning has empowered more students to step confidently into AP courses and take full advantage of what the program offers. Through AP coursework, 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.