When it comes to testbrscores, students at Westlake Academy are making impressive marks. Studentsbrsurpass both national and global averages for test scores, with the greatestbrgain in STAAR and ECO tests, where more than 50 percent of students score at abrmastery level.
Over the past few years,brthe Academy has been dedicated to improving its curriculum alignment betweenbrTexas' educational requirements, the IB and Advanced Placement (AP) to helpbrensure a strong transcript and a student well prepared for college.
Major gains were alsobrmade in AP test scores. AP scholars with honors grew from three to 11 frombr2016-2017; AP scholars with distinction grew from two to nine over the lastbryear, and the total number of AP scholars rose from 15 to 32. Forty-threebrpercent of this year's senior class are AP scholars including seniorbrBrianna Taylor who became the school's first National AP Scholar.
AP biology, AP macro andbrmicroeconomics are now above the global average, and AP world history hasbrhad increased participation and performance compared to previous years.
Additionally, the Academybrsaw major gains in IB test scores proving the school's theory that IB is forbrall, and that's being verified with real data. “IB and AP are coexisting to thebrbenefit of the students because they're able to build a more robust transcriptbrto get into the more selective colleges,” said Westlake Academy executive directorbrDr. Mechelle Bryson in a press release. “This data confirms what many havebralready known that Westlake Academy is an exemplary college prep school, withbrmany students entering college with 24-36 hours of credit already under theirbrbelts.”
While Dr. Bryson admitsbrthe test scores are something the school should be proud of, it's the overallbrlearning experience the students get from their time at an IB school likebrWestlake Academy that's important. “We are an IB school first and foremost.brThese exams are just one metric that shows us that we're teaching what we needbrto be teaching,” Bryson said.