Nearly 1,000 Alachua County Students Earn National AP Scholar Recognition

Nearly 1,000 Alachua County Public Schools students earned national recognition this year for high achievement on Advanced Placement exams, highlighting the district’s rigorous college-level academic opportunities.

Alachua County Public Schools students are receiving national recognition for their performance on Advanced Placement (AP) exams, with 981 students earning AP Scholar Awards during the 2025-26 school year, according to a district news release.

The awards, presented by the College Board, recognize students who demonstrate exceptional achievement on multiple AP exams, which are college-level courses offered in high school. Most colleges and universities award college credit or advanced placement to students who earn qualifying scores on AP exams.

What’s Happening

According to the district, 455 students earned the highest distinction, AP Scholar with Distinction, by maintaining an average AP exam score of at least 3.5 while earning scores of 3 or higher on at least five exams.

An additional:

145 students earned AP Scholar with Honor, recognizing students with an average score of at least 3.25 and qualifying scores on four or more AP exams.
381 students earned the AP Scholar designation after scoring 3 or higher on at least three AP exams.

District officials noted that the accomplishment is especially significant because many of the district’s highest-achieving students pursue Cambridge or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs instead of AP coursework. Students from six ACPS high schools were represented in all three AP Scholar categories.

The College Board also recognized 72 ACPS students with the AP Capstone Diploma and 39 students with the AP Seminar and Research Certificate, according to the release.

Key Takeaways

981 ACPS students earned national AP Scholar recognition for the 2025-26 school year.
455 students received the prestigious AP Scholar with Distinction award.
An additional 72 students earned the AP Capstone Diploma.
The awards recognize exceptional achievement on rigorous college-level AP coursework.

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