Other avenues
Kentucky School Advocate
April 2016
By Matt McCarty
Staff writer
Bracken County Schools was named to the fourth annual AP District Honor Roll in 2013, but since then, the district has put more of an emphasis on dual-credit courses.
“We have actually decreased our AP offerings and increased our dual-credit offerings,” said Tammi Wright, the advanced placement coordinator and guidance counselor at Bracken County High School. “When you go dual credit, as long as the student passes the class it’s guaranteed credit versus taking the test and taking the chance on getting the college credit or not.”
Bracken County is one of seven Kentucky districts to be named to the AP Honor Roll that have 30 percent or more of its students who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Superintendent Jeff Aulick said the cost of the advanced placement exams “is a factor.”
“If a student is taking three (AP exams), it adds up. That’s why our resource center is trying to help, not necessarily with AP but if we can help out in other areas so the parents can make that happen. But that is a factor,” he said.
Juniors at Bracken County can take six dual-credit hours and seniors can take 12 hours paid for by the board of education.
“We steer our students toward general education requirements that will easily transfer regardless of the degree they plan to pursue or the school they plan to attend,” Wright said.