Shelter Island School moves up in rankings: Superintendent credits AP and dual credit courses

Shelter Island High School has provided students advanced placement (AP) classes — college-level classes taken in high school — and dual credit courses, in which they can take college level courses to earn college degrees in less than the typical four years.

Accordingly, the school has earned a Platinum Distinction in the College Board Advanced Placement Program for 2024-25. The organization pioneered the Scholastic Aptitude Tests most students take as part of the credentials they use to gain entry to colleges and universities.

Schools can gain recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing a college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximize college readiness, according to the College Board’s website.

“AP gives students opportunity to engage with college-level work, to earn college credit and placement, and to potentially boost their grade point averages,” said Trevor Packer, head of the AP program. “The schools that have earned this distinction are proof that it is possible to expand access to these college-level courses and still drive strong performance.”

Shelter Island saw 80% of its students take at least one advanced placement exam; 47% of Island students took five or more AP exams.

“There has been a laser focus by our guidance department on sending our students out of our school with as many college credits as possible,” said Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D. “To me, for our small school to achieve Platinum status in all three areas that College Board ranks — culture, credit and optimization — is an amazing feat.”

He extended special thanks to Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Rylott for overseeing the guidance department; former guidance counselor Edward Caswell; and Guidance Department Assistant Meghan Lang.

Niche.com honors

Shelter Island High School placed 17th among 60 Suffolk County high schools that best prepare their students for college success, according to Niche.com, a company compiling data on high school and college achievements. It’s one of two major sources of school ratings behind the US News & World Report on which Shelter Island ratings have been high.

Rankings on Niche.com are based on graduation rates, advanced placement enrollment, state test scores and the quality of colleges that students consider.

The organization’s data is based on information from the 2022-23 school year because the State Education Department has not yet issued data for the 2023-24 school year, Mr. Doelger said.

The data also doesn’t include Scholastic Aptitude Tests or American College Testing because both have been de-emphasized in recent years, according to the company.

Two South Fork High Schools scored ahead of Shelter Island with Southampton in 8th place and East Hampton 11th place. Mattituck placed 25th; Southold, 35th; Greenport, 42nd; and Riverhead, 44th.

Shelter Island was ranked 186th out of 1,198 — in the top 15% — as the best among prep and public high schools in New York State.