28 Feb 2007
Number One High School in Nation for Advanced Placement Spanish Language Tests
DALLAS–Sunset High School students passed 194 of 268 AP Spanish language tests in May 2006. These totals made Sunset High School the number one high school in the nation in the number of AP Spanish Language tests taken and passed in the large-size school category.
The announcement was made in the
AP tests are scored on a scale of 1 to 5 with 3 and above considered a passing score. Students receive 6-14 college credits depending on their score and the university they attend. For students receiving a 4 or 5, this test usually meets their entire foreign language requirement. Many students are able to earn a minor by taking just 3-4 more Spanish courses in college.
"At Sunset High School, passing the AP Spanish Language is usually the first step to becoming an AP Scholar," said TAG coordinator Tom Spring. "An AP Scholar must pass at least three AP tests, and at Sunset, 19 of 21 AP Scholars have passed AP Spanish Language since 1977. AP Spanish Literature was passed by 14 of 21 as well."
Dale Reeves and Joe Reyes, who teach Spanish at the school, also help prepare the students for the test
Spring says that students who take and pass the AP Spanish Language test are more likely to take other AP courses and tests. "These students are more likely to be successful on TAKS tests, more likely to graduate from high school, and more likely to go on to college because of the college credits they earned by taking the AP Spanish Language Test, especially our LEP (Limited English Proficiency)students. Because of this test, some of our students have majored in Spanish in college and are Spanish Language or Bilingual teachers in Dallas ISD," he said.
Beginning in 2004, Sunset offered the Spanish Language Test to all interested 11th and 12th graders. In 2004, 196 passed AP Spanish Language. In 2005, the test was offered to all 10th and 12th graders and 151 passed. Last year, May 2006, 50 ninth graders were included with the upperclassman and 42 were successful for a total of 194 passed AP Spanish Language tests. This May, Sunset will encourage all ninth-12th grade students with proficiency in the Spanish Language and who have not already scored a four or five to take the AP Spanish Language Test on Tuesday, May 8.
"Last year, 20 students improved their score by retesting. This year, we hope to test 375 students and expect at least 250 to receive a passing score," said Spring. "Success on the test has encouraged some of our students go beyond the two-year minimum of foreign language and take Spanish III and IV and prepare for the AP Spanish Literature test.
Besides being named as the number one high school in the nation for the number of AP Spanish Language tests taken and passed, Sunset has received recognition for several other accomplishments. Last Spring D Magazine, ranked Sunset 40th in the Metroplex for their AP Program. The only other Dallas ISD comprehensive high school to be mentioned above Sunset was W. T. White.