LAS VEGAS – Clark County School District (CCSD) students are pursuing more college credit opportunities than ever by enrolling in Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
A report for the November 14, 2024, Board of School Trustees Meeting will provide data on the Dual Enrollment and AP courses. Trustees will also receive updates on student attendance related to the District’s Every Day Matters campaign.
“These gains were made possible because of the hard work of our educators working to increase access and opportunities for students to participate in advanced-level coursework. We are also so very grateful for our partners in the Nevada System of Higher Education who work closely with us to provide these opportunities for our students,” said Interim Superintendent Brenda Larsen-Mitchell. “Every student deserves the opportunity to participate and excel in their academic journey, and we are pleased to offer these opportunities to support them.
Dual Enrollment
CCSD noted a 400 percent increase in Dual Enrollment participation from 2019-2020 to the current school year.
Student Dual Enrollment Increases over the past five years:
The college-level courses offered through the College of Southern Nevada; Nevada State University; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and the University of Nevada, Reno, allow CCSD students to earn college credits that transfer to the Nevada System of Higher Education schools.
Part of the District’s Dual Enrollment program includes the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program (TACPP), designed to prepare students in Grades 8-12 for a successful career in teaching. TACPP currently serves about 5,000 students, inspiring and equipping them with the tools they need to become future educators. The program removes financial barriers by offering tuition and fee reimbursement, ensuring all students can pursue their passion without the burden of debt.
Advanced Placement
For the 2024-2025 school year, more than 20,000 CCSD students are enrolled in AP courses. AP courses allow students to tackle college-level work while still in high school and earn college credit and placement.
Overall enrollment in AP courses continues to grow annually, with AP exam pass rates for students also rising, enabling them to earn college credit. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Many U.S. colleges grant credit and/or advanced placement for scores of 3 and above. An additional 4,400 AP exams were taken during 2023-2024 compared to the previous year.
To encourage students to expose themselves to the increased coursework and rigor, CCSD currently covers the cost of AP exam fees, which range from $100 to $150 per exam.
Chronic Absenteeism
During the first quarter of 2024-2025, the District’s chronic absenteeism rate is 20.5 percent, three percentage points lower than the same time a year ago. This is after CCSD recorded a nine percentage point reduction in chronic absenteeism over the last two years. Districtwide, absenteeism rates are down across all student groups.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of enrolled school days for any reason (excused or unexcused). Chronically absent students are less likely to succeed academically and more likely to drop out of school.
Throughout the summer, CCSD attendance officers visited 900 businesses to enlist support for school attendance. As a result, 85 businesses contacted the Office of Attendance Enforcement to encourage students to return to school. With support from the municipalities and community partners, CCSD will continue expanding awareness of attendance efforts.
To learn more about community initiatives, click here. Learn more about Every Day Matters at everyday.ccsd.net.
