Springstead High School Receives College Board Honors

At the Dec. 12 school board meeting, Springstead High School celebrated academic excellence, with a particular focus on the school’s remarkable achievement of Silver Status with Access from the College Board’s National AP Honor Roll. This prestigious recognition is a testament to the school’s commitment to providing academic opportunities and fostering a culture of educational greatness.

During the meeting, Mr. John Morris, the director of secondary curriculum in Hernando County, expressed his honor in recognizing Springstead High School for this significant achievement. He emphasized the magnitude of the award and its implications for the school, shedding light on the rigorous nature of College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered by the district.
The Silver Award is a tribute to Springstead’s exceptional performance in three key categories: college culture, college credits and college optimization.

Springstead demonstrated a strong commitment to a college-going culture by having at least 50 percent of its graduating class from the previous year take AP courses from 9th to 12th grade—an achievement consistently maintained for the past four years.

The requirement for this category was met by having at least 33 percent of students receive a score of 3 or higher on an AP exam throughout the entire cohort.

Springstead achieved an outstanding result in this category, scoring in the platinum level—the highest possible score. This recognition indicates that at least 10 percent of the cohort took five or more AP classes, with at least one in 9th or 10th grade.

To grasp the rarity of this award, it’s crucial to consider that only around 30 percent of the approximately 1,500 eligible high schools across the nation made the AP Honor Roll.

Springstead High School, securing a Silver Award, falls into the category where only 21 percent of those schools achieved a silver or higher award—amounting to an outstanding accomplishment.

Within Florida, Springstead’s achievement is particularly notable, as the state has the highest percentage of high schools on the AP Honor Roll list—50 percent, surpassing the next-highest state, California, by 3 percent.

Springstead’s recognition is further elevated by including the Access Award, an honor given to schools actively encouraging low-income and underrepresented students to participate in AP courses. This signifies that Springstead exceeded expectations in certain demographic categories, demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunities in education.

Springstead’s Principal, Dana Pierce, was also acknowledged for her outstanding efforts in leading Springstead High School to academic success. She attributed part of the Access Award to the work of EOS (Equal Opportunity Schools), recognizing the organization’s role in identifying students seeking more academic opportunities.