Ballard 1 of 5 SPS HS Recognized on the AP School Honor Roll
Summary : Ballard HS 2025 College Board AP School Honor Roll.
College Board 2025
AP School Honor Roll
Seattle Public Schools is proud to announce that five of our high schools have earned placement on the 2025 AP School Honor Roll, a national recognition from the College Board celebrating schools that expand access to Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and support strong student outcomes. The AP School Honor Roll includes four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering wide-reaching results for their students. These distinctions reflect the commitment of our educators, counselors, and school leaders to cultivating a strong college going culture and creating opportunities for SPS students to challenge themselves with college level coursework while still in high school.
Gold Recognition | Ballard High School
To be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll, high schools must meet three research based criteria in their most recent graduating class. Each measure is tied to college readiness, persistence, and longterm student success:
- College Culture: 69%
- College Credit: 62%
- College Optimization: 22%
Ballard’s strong access, high success rate, and thoughtful scheduling of AP participation earned the school Gold level distinction.
Special thank you to Katie Huguenin: BHS Counselor, AP Testing Coordinator, for her “thoughtful scheduling of AP participation” to help Ballard High School earn this status. ~ Principal Hunt
How Schools Earn This Recognition
To be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll, high schools must meet three research based criteria in their most recent graduating class. Each measure is tied to college readiness, persistence, and longterm student success:
- College Culture: At least 40% of graduates take one or more AP Exams during high school, showing that rigorous coursework is widely accessible and encouraged.
- College Credit: At least 25% of graduates earn a score of 3 or higher on at least one AP Exam, indicating readiness for college level academic expectations.
- College Optimization: At least 2% of graduates take five or more AP Exams, including one exam taken in 9th or 10th grade. This ensures students spread out advanced coursework rather than clustering AP classes into a single year.
Why This Matters
AP courses give students the opportunity to experience college level instruction, explore academic interests, and potentially earn college credit—helping reduce the cost of college and strengthen preparation for postsecondary pathways. The achievements of our five honored SPS high schools demonstrate districtwide commitment to access, equity, and academic excellence.
This year, the following SPS High Schools earned honors:
- Lincoln High School – Platinum
- Ballard High School – Gold
- Garfield High School – Silver
- Roosevelt High School – Silver
- West Seattle High School – Silver
School Specific Results for SPS Honorees
The following data from the College Board highlight how SPS High Schools met or exceeded the criteria:
Platinum Recognition | Lincoln High School
- College Culture: 87%
- College Credit: 77%
- College Optimization: 48%
Lincoln’s exceptional results, especially its high rate of students earning college credit and engaging in multiyear AP pathways, place it among topperforming schools nationally.
Gold Recognition | Ballard High School
- College Culture: 69%
- College Credit: 62%
- College Optimization: 22%
Ballard’s strong access, high success rate, and thoughtful scheduling of AP participation earned the school Gold level distinction.
Silver Recognition
Garfield High School
- College Culture: 59%
- College Credit: 46%
- College Optimization: 22%
Roosevelt High School
- College Culture: 69%
- College Credit: 61%
- College Optimization: 6%
West Seattle High School
- College Culture: 59%
- College Credit: 51%
- College Optimization: 20%
Silver recognition reflects robust AP participation and success rates, paired with a growing foundation of early and sustained AP engagement.
