Bronze Distinction

Aldine ISD proudly announces that the College Board named Blanson Career and Technical Education High School to the Advanced Placement® Program (AP) School Honor Roll, earning Bronze distinction. The AP® School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.

“We are immensely proud to receive the Bronze Distinction on the 2023 AP School Honor Roll. These achievements are a testament to the dedication of our students, teachers, and staff who continuously strive for excellence in education,” said Principal Ben Ibarra. “Our commitment to fostering a college-going culture and providing equitable access to AP coursework remains unwavering. We firmly believe in every student’s potential for success and are committed to helping them achieve it here in Blanson.”

To qualify for the 2023 AP School Honor Roll, schools must meet or exceed the criteria for a given recognition level for all three metrics — College Culture, College Credit, and College Optimization. In College Culture, Blanson CTEHS scored 56% for a Silver score; in College Credit, 27% for a Bronze score; and in College Optimization, 5% for a Silver score, giving the school an overall Bronze Recognition status.

• School Enrollment: The school’s AP Coordinator submitted the school-level enrollment data in AP Registration and Ordering and checked against federal registrar data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
• College Culture: Percent of students in the graduating class who took an AP exam at any point in high school, regardless of score. To avoid pressure on students to take large numbers of APs, only 1 AP exam per student contributes to this indicator.
• College Credit: Percent of students in graduating class who scored 3+ on any AP exam in high school. To avoid pressure on students to take large numbers of APs, only 1 AP exam score of 3 or higher per student contributes to this indicator.
• College Optimization: Percent of students in the graduating class who took 5 or more AP exams in high school, where at least 1 exam was taken in 9th or 10th grade. Because research finds that 6 or more APs do not improve college graduation rates beyond the optimal total of 5 such courses in high school, no exams beyond 5 per student contribute to this indicator. The Honor Roll also recognizes schools that encourage students earlier on their AP journey to keep them from overloading them with AP courses during their junior and senior years.
• AP Access Award: An additional recognition is given to schools when the percentage of underrepresented and/or low-income students accessing the school’s AP Program is the same or greater than the percentage in the school’s graduating class. School-level enrollment for this award is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics using the most recent finalized data.

AP Access Award

In addition to achieving Bronze Distinction on the AP School Honor Roll, Blanson CTE High School received the 2023 AP Access Award. This award acknowledges the school’s steadfast commitment to ensuring that AP coursework is accessible to all students, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. The school firmly believes every student deserves the opportunity to pursue advanced coursework and strives to make this vision a reality.

“Blanson CTE High School’s honor of the Bronze Distinction is a remarkable achievement that reflects the exceptional education our students receive,” said Ibarra. “We are proud of our steadfast commitment to academic excellence and equal access to educational opportunities.”

Additional AP School Honor Roll information can be found on AP Central.