Tift County Schools today announced significant growth in its Advanced Placement (AP) program, highlighting record levels of student participation and achievement in Spring 2025.
Advanced Placement
The district’s commitment to preparing students for post-secondary success is evident in the impressive 28% increase in the number of students participating in at least one Advanced Placement (AP) course. Specifically, in the 2024-2025 school year, 248 students participated in an AP course compared with 193 in the prior academic year.
While increasing participation with students new to this level of rigor could lead to a decrease in the passage rate, the passage rate instead has increased in TCS. Tift saw a significant increase in the percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams, demonstrating enhanced mastery of college-level material. Students who earn a 3 or higher (on a scale of 1 to 5) on an AP exam can qualify for college credit at most state colleges and universities -- avoiding college tuition payments for those classes. Tift County Schools reached a milestone in 2024-2025 with 74.19% of AP test takers in Tift scoring a 3 or higher compared with 66.84% in the Spring of 2024. This accounts for 4 years of continuous growth in student performance on AP exams.
Superintendent Natalie Gore explains, "This remarkable growth in college and career readiness is a direct reflection of the dedication of our high school administrators, counselors, and teachers. Their commitment to identifying and recruiting more students into challenging Advanced Placement (AP) courses coupled with their dedication to and focus on equipping these students with the necessary knowledge and skills has ensured exceptional performance on these rigorous national examinations. This achievement underscores our district's commitment to continuous improvement to ensure the best for our students."
Also noteworthy is the increased number of students taking and passing multiple AP exams. Since 22-23, Tift County High School is making annual strides with the number of students taking multiple AP courses. In 2024-2025, Tift County HS had 56 students who received a 3 or better on three or more AP tests. Principal Jennifer Johnson explains, “We want to ensure our students who are college-bound are afforded opportunities for college readiness both via AP courses and Dual Enrollment courses. We are fortunate to have teachers who are willing to take on the challenge of teaching AP classes, which requires them to participate in additional training through College Board to be eligible to teach AP courses. The dedication and commitment of our teachers ensures Tift Schools has the opportunity to provide our students with numerous AP course opportunities each year.”
End of Pathway Assessments
“Tift County Schools continues to excel in career and technical education, achieving record levels of participation and performance on End of Pathway Assessments. These assessments not only measure technical skill mastery but also open doors to industry certifications and future career success.”
In 2024-2025, Tift County Schools saw an all-time high of 708 students participate in an End of Pathway test, which 5% increase over the prior academic year and nearly a 20% increase in 4 years time.
This growth is reflected in a significant improvement in End of Pathway Assessment (EOPA) pass rates. In 2024–2025, 80.1% of students who took an EOPA passed, compared with 69.9% in 2023–2024 and 41.3% in 2022–2023.“The results associated with our End of Pathway Assessment (EOPA) performance stand as a testament to the effectiveness of the district’s career pathways. This achievement is a result of the dedication and collaborative efforts of our teachers, TCHS administrators, and CTAE Director”, explains Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Howell. She further explains, “They have worked strategically to ensure that all instruction is aligned to current industry standards. This alignment is crucial for preparing our students not only for academic success but, more importantly, for readiness to excel on these national EOPA assessments, which are indicators of their preparedness for future college and career endeavors.”
Work Based Learning
The Work-Based Learning (WBL) program continues to be a cornerstone of career preparation, fostering invaluable real-world experience for students. In 2025, Tift had 278 students participate in work based learning, which represents a nearly 15% increase over the prior academic year. Across these students, total wages earned for the 2024-2025 school year was 1.26 million dollars, almost doubling the wages earned by students in the prior academic year.
Superintendent Gore explains, “Tift Schools is grateful for all our local business and industry partners who afford our work based learning students with opportunities to connect classroom learning with practical experiences. Together, we are shaping the future for Tift.” Since 2022, Tift County Schools has partnered with 341 community organizations who are helping to cultivate work-ready and life-ready skills in our youth.
Looking ahead, Tift County Schools is dedicated to sustaining this momentum through strategic initiatives. Plans include expanding AP course offerings, utilizing PSAT assessment data to identify students likely to succeed in advanced coursework and educating them on AP course offerings available, and through the development of scheduling structures at the high school that will enable the offering of AP courses in the Fall while continuing to provide students support in the Spring in advance of the annual AP testing window.
This comprehensive approach to college and career readiness reflects Tift County Schools’ unwavering dedication to equipping all students with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful transitions into higher education and the workforce.
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