College Achieve Central Charter School (CAPS Central)–a tuition-free public charter high school in Plainfield—earned GOLD recognition on the prestigious 2023 AP School Honor Roll for offering AP programs that deliver results for students and expand access to higher education opportunities. CAPS Central serves the community of Plainfield, NJ, where 21% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the student demographics are predominantly low-income students of color. “We’re proud to equip our scholars with the tools they need not only thrive academically, but feel prepared for college and beyond,” said Natica Brown, Principal of College Achieve Central. “It starts with the goal of having every one of our seniors pass the AP exam with a score of a 3 or greater. Our pass rates on AP assessments and strong college acceptances are proof points of progress to make this goal a reality. Our educators and scholars work hard each and every day, and we’re grateful for this esteemed recognition by the College Board.”

AP courses are designed to give scholars experience with college level material, while still in high school. Scoring a 3 on the AP exam or greater demonstrates that a scholar is prepared for college level material, since they can earn college credit for that course. Every scholar in the 2023 CAPS Central class took at least one AP exam, with 47% passing at least one AP exam. Furthermore, 17% of the 2023 graduation CAPS Central class took five or more AP exams. The CAPS Central class of 2023 also averaged taking 5.3 classes.

Overall, 97% of CAPS Central high school students enrolled in at least one AP class of the 16 AP courses the school offers, including AP Biology, AP US History, and AP Pre-Calculus. By comparison, 8% of students at Plainfield High School enrolled in at least one of the 5 AP courses offered at the school, according to the New Jersey School Performance Report. This resulted in earning acceptances to several prestigious higher education institutions, such as Harvard and Princeton, with more than $13 million in scholarships.

The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools based on a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximizing college readiness. The Honor Roll includes four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. CAPS Central credits their impressive AP pass rates and college acceptances to their strong college-going culture, rigorous curriculum and academic support. Students are expected to take at least three Advanced Placement (AP) classes throughout their high school career.

For a school to be recognized on the AP School Honor Roll, it must meet each of the following criteria for their students in the most recent graduating class, which is anchored in research-based relationships between AP and college outcomes:

• College Culture: 40% or more of the graduating cohort took at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
• College Credit: 25% or more of the graduating cohort scored a 3 or higher on at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
• College Optimization: 2% or more of the graduating cohort took 5 or more AP Exams during high school. At least 1 of those exams was taken in 9th or 10th grade, so that students are spreading their AP experience across grades rather than feeling disproportionate pressure in any single year. 

College Achieve Public Schools (CAPS) is a network of K-12 schools in Paterson, Plainfield, Asbury Park and Neptune Township that was created to serve youth who have enormous potential but limited resources. Its mission is to prepare all students to excel in and graduate from the top colleges and universities in the nation. For more information about our schools and how to enroll, visit us at collegeachieve.org/enrollment.