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Wlaf1450This is a note from Ann Browning
CAMPBELL COUNTY, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF)- Here is an email sent Wednesday morning to members of the Campbell County Board of Education is support of the Advanced Placement (AP) program at Campbell County High School. Should CCHS lose multiple teaching positions, the AP program could be in danger, according to Ann Browning. Browning is AP Access for ALL (APAA) Liaison and School Data Coach at CCHS.
Subject: CCHS Advanced Placement Program
Esteemed Director, Supervisor, and Board Members:I am writing to you to advocate for the Advanced Placement program at Campbell County High School.
Currently, CCHS has a thriving AP community. Our AP enrollments increased from less than 40 students in 2019, to 128 students enrolled in 218 classes this year. This did not happen by accident. It has been an intentional initiative to offer rigorous course work to our highest achieving students and make earning college credits more accessible and affordable. Additionally, our students’ pass rate has risen to surpass the global average.
(Data from the College Board school page)
NOTE: Students who take AP courses tend to score significantly higher on the ACT. AP classes also count as Early Post Secondary Opportunities (EPSOs) on Ready Graduate measures. Both of these measures directly impact our school’s State Report Card scores, as well as federal accountability measures.
Our school offers the AP Capstone Diploma. This prestigious program is not offered in Anderson, Claiborne, or Scott counties. Knox County schools only offer this program at a few schools. It is most readily available at private schools such as the Webb School of Knoxville. In order to achieve this designation, students must take AP Seminar and AP Research and score a minimum of 3 on each exam. Additionally, students are required to take four (4) additional AP exams, making a 3 or higher on each. Students at CCHS have that opportunity. This year we have six (6) students graduating with Capstone Diplomas. That number is likely to double over the next two years. Capstone Diplomas set our students apart and provide additional scholarship opportunities.
Currently, we have nine (9) AP courses on campus, with five (5) instructors. Those include:
Lisa Copeland (Capstone Diploma): Seminar, Research, Language, Literature (also teachers Honors English I and English II)
Monte Copeland: Physics, Calculus AB, Precalculus (also teaches Algebra II)
Brooke Goddard: Human Geography (also teaches United States History)
Justin Chapman: Biology (also teaches Biology and Honors Biology)
Jerrod Cape: United States History (also teaches United States History)These teachers willingly take on additional planning, grading, and testing to make this available for CCHS students. If the Board votes to cut an English teacher and an Algebra II teacher, then cuts to the AP program could be necessary to fill the gaps for general education offerings. This would endanger the Capstone Diploma program.
By partnering with the State of Tennessee and the Niswonger Foundation, we also offer online AP courses to upper classmen. This is at no cost to our school or students and doubles the number of classes we can offer. During the two weeks of AP exams this May, I will be administering exams in 19 different content areas.(Most of these courses meet a graduation requirement as well as college credit.)This year, we have students graduating with more than 10 AP classes on their transcripts. One student (who has been accepted to MIT on a FULL scholarship) will have completed 14 AP courses, scoring 4s and 5s on all exams.
It is worth noting that most of our AP students qualify for free and reduced lunch. Many of them do not have their own transportation and would not be able to attend Dual Enrollment classes at RSCC or TCAT. Additionally, AP credits are nationally standardized, and credits are accepted by most public colleges and universities. CCHS has also removed the financial barrier to low-income students. AP exams cost $98 each, with fees reductions lowering some to $54. For students taking multiple exams, this can be quite costly. CCHS and the administration have added exam fees to the Title I school budget, and NO students pay for exams.
Our school leadership and our AP instructors have worked tirelessly to build this program. It has included careful scheduling, training, and budgeting to ensure the continued success of our students.
As you work together to formulate a budget for the coming school year, I hope that you will consider our AP students in your planning. They are deserving of the best we have to offer, and that includes the best from you.
Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me if you would like additional information on Advanced Placement programs.
Ann Browning
APAA Liaison
School Data Coach
Campbell County High School (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-04/23/2026-1PM)