Academics
The school recently switched from a traditional high school curriculum to an academy, or small learning community, curriculum. There are five SLC's (small learning communities) into which students are placed. All ninth grade students begin in the "Freshman Learning Community" before transitioning into one of the interest-based SLC's. BHS also offers a wide variety of courses, including 19 Advanced Placement (AP) classes and the International Baccalaureate Program. In 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2012 Bentonville High School was ranked in the top 1000 best high schools in the nation according to the Newsweek magazine's Top 1000 US Schools. Public schools are ranked according to a ratio called the Challenge Index.
In April 2007, Bentonville High School was approved as an International Baccalaureate World School. In the 2007-2008 school year 16 juniors signed up for the program of in-depth studies, and that number has grown every year. BHS is one of two high schools in Arkansas that received the Blue Ribbon School award in 2007, and one of 33 schools in the nation.
2009 End of Course Exam results had BHS with
- 85% in Reading compared to a state average of 87%
- 90% in Algebra 1 compared to a state average of 91%
- 71% in Biology compared to a state average of 84%
- 90% in Geometry compared to a state average of 72%
In 2011, Bemtonville School District and its high school were recognized in the AP District of the Year Awards program in the College Board's 1st Annual Honor Roll that consisted of 388 U.S. public school districts (2 in Arkansas) that simultaneously achieved increases in access to AP® courses for a broader number of students and improved the rate at which their AP students earned scores of 3 or higher on an AP Exam.
Read more about this topic: Bentonville High School
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)