Results of Advanced Placement Economics Examinations
In May of 2008, 35 OHS students took the A.P. macro exam, and 17 students took the A.P. micro exam.
Scores were as follows:
Grade 5
14
6
Grade 4
5
Grade 3
4
3
Grade 2
5
2
Grade 1
1
1
Average
3.914
3.765
Result from 2007 are listed below.
Grade 5
15
5
Grade 4
10
4
Grade 3
5
1
Grade 2
0
1
Grade 1
3
Average
A.P. macroeconomics has been offered at OHS since 2000, and over 189 students have taken the exam. 85.18% of these students earned a passing score of 3 or higher. The average grade was 3.8148. Of the 46,654 global (worldwide) students who took the macro exam in 2005, 58.4% earned a passing score of 3 or higher. The average global score in 2005 was 2.825.
Although I do not teach an A.P. microeconomics class, since 2003 I have been encouraging students to take this exam. I provide helpful materials, weekend reviews, and tutoring.
The Economics Challenge
Since 2003, the Washington Council on Economic Education, headquartered at Western Washington University, has conducted the Washington State Economics Challenge at the Space Needle. The Economics Challenge brings together teams of four students from around the state to compete by taking three economics tests. The tests cover macroeconomics, microeconomics, and international economics and current events. The two teams with the highest test scores after the three exams then compete in a knowledge bowl oral competition. The winning team advances to the western regional competitions, usually held in California. The cost of the trip is almost entirely paid for by the Washington Council for Economic Education, through funding provided by sponsors such as the Goldman Sachs Foundation, Pemco, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Students compete in two divisions. The Adam Smith Division is for students with one year of economics or one semester or more of honors, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement economics. The David Ricardo Division is for students with one semester of a regular economics class.
I invite the best OHS students to participate in the competition, based on their classroom achievement in economics.
Results of the Washington State Economics Challenge.
| Division | Adam |
Smith | David |
Ricardo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
First Place |
Second Place |
First Place |
Second Place |
2003 |
OHS |
Lincoln HS |
OHS |
Bellingham HS |
2004 |
Bellingham HS |
OHS |
OHS |
OHS |
2005 |
OHS |
Bellingham HS |
OHS |
OHS |
2006 |
OHS |
Charles Wright HS |
OHS |
OHS |
2007 |
OHS |
Mercer Island HS |
OHS |
OHS |
2008 |
Ingraham HS |
OHS |
OHS |
OHS |
Although there have only been two occasions when an OHS team as failed to capture first place in the state competition, the results at the western regional competitions has been only average. In 2007 the OHS team in the David Ricardo Division took second place at the Western Regionals at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco. It is hoped that intensified efforts will improve future results in the regional competition. In 2008 the OHS team finished 5th out of ten teams in the David Ricardo Division of the regional competiton.
Encouraging Students to Take A.P. Examinations
In order to be competitive in the Economics Challenge, for several years now I have encouraged my A.P. students to study microeconomics and to take the A.P. micro exam. I have also encouraged A.P. students not participating in the Economics Challenge to take the A.P. micro exam. Since the 2005-2006 school year, I have also encouraged non-A.P. students in the Economics Challenge to take the A.P. macro exam.
The success of students on these exams has led me to expand my instructional efforts. In 2007 all but one the AP students taking the AP micro exam earned a passing grade, and most had grades of 4 and 5. All of the non-AP students taking AP macro and micro exams earned grades of 4 and 5. As a result I now believe that all of my AP students should be taking micro, if they have the time for some extra study, especially if they are competing in the Economics Challenge. I am also confident that the non-A.P. students in the Economics Challenge can do well on both the A.P. micro and macro examinations. I am hopeful that more OHS students will take A.P. economics exams during the 2007-2008 school year.