Several students in the Coeur d’Alene School District have earned big-time bragging rights for their Advanced Placement accomplishments.

Nearly 60 high school students received perfect scores on one or more AP exams this academic year. Districtwide, 83 high school students taking AP exams received a perfect score of 5, with over 60% of test-takers achieving a score of 3 or higher.

Thirty-one high school students received at least one perfect score on their AP exams. Two students received two perfect scores, one student received three perfect scores and one student earned perfect scores on all four tests. 

That well-rounded student who aced all four is Jameson Dale, an incoming Coeur d'Alene High School senior. He achieved perfect test scores in calculus, chemistry, English language and composition and U.S. history. Coeur d'Alene Superintendent Shon Hocker personally delivered a yard sign to Jameson's home to celebrate his accomplishments as part of the district's tradition of highlighting its top-notch AP students.

“I felt great," Jameson said Wednesday. "I was just happy to see that what I did actually paid off and I could get the 5s."

A focused and detail-oriented pupil, Jameson said he is hoping to go into engineering or medicine once he graduates from high school next spring.

"I’m definitely very serious about it," he said. "I study a lot and spend a lot of time to make sure I get good grades and do well on my tests, just getting ready for college so I can make it as cheap as I can."

The yard sign tradition and personal visits by district leadership to students' homes is a tribute to their dedication to learning and a recognition of their remarkable accomplishments. Teachers and district staff spent the day delivering the signs and congratulations to each student at home, with advance notice to families.

This is the fifth year district staff have recognized students in this way.  

“We are so proud of each of these students,” said Mike Nelson, deputy superintendent of the Coeur d’Alene School District. “It is not easy to achieve perfect scores on these tests — they are rigorous, challenging and require a high level of focus and study."

He said for every student, and the teachers who support them, a perfect score deserves acknowledgement and congratulations, "which we are proud and happy to deliver to them personally along with a pretty cool sign.”  

The College Board provides AP exams in a variety of subject areas and students take the tests while in high school. Students typically receive college credit if they receive a 3, 4 or 5 on their exams, depending upon the postsecondary institution they plan to attend. Each student’s final test score is reported on a 5-point scale.