AP Test Score Data Missing for the Top High Schools in Oklahoma in 2024

State Superintendent Ryan Walters is proposing a new rule to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in Oklahoma schools, sparking controversy and debate among educators and parents.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education recently missed a crucial deadline to allow US News & World Report to include Advanced Placement test scores in its annual Best High School rankings. This oversight has left many schools in the dark, as AP scores make up nearly a third of each school’s cumulative ranking.

Despite the state Board of Education’s unanimous approval to release Advanced Placement data in November, the permission letter sent to the College Board and US News was too late for the data to be included in the 2024 “Best High Schools” ranking. As a result, Oklahoma schools that administered AP exams were not fully credited for their College Readiness Index.

US News spokesperson Jeanette Colby confirmed that the Oklahoma State Department of Education missed the permission granting deadline for both the 2023 and 2024 rankings. However, the department has already sent a letter granting permission for the data to be used in the 2025 rankings.

This mishap has had a significant impact on the rankings of top high schools in Oklahoma, with many schools seeing a decline in their rankings due to the absence of their AP scores. Superintendents have expressed concern that this issue has unfairly affected their schools’ standings and readiness for college.

As the debate over DEI efforts and educational rankings continues, educators and parents are left questioning the implications of these decisions on the future of Oklahoma schools.