Once again, Maryland and Virginia claimed two of the top three spots in performance on Advanced Placement (AP) exams administered to students graduating from public high schools, according to the College Board’s 7th annual AP Report to the Nation.
For the third consecutive year, Maryland had the nation’s highest percentage (26.4 percent) of seniors scoring a passing mark on at least one AP exam—up almost two percentage points over last year. Virginia placed third at 23.7 percent, just behind New York (24.6) and above Connecticut (23.2). Nationwide, nearly 17 percent of public high school students from the class of 2010 completed high school with at least one successful AP experience
Maryland also earned honors for being among the states with the greatest five-year percentage increase (4.8) of seniors scoring 3 or higher on an at least one exam. Virginia followed with a 4.0 percent increase in successful test-takers over five years.
More than a half a million public school students from the class of 2010 earned a passing score (3 or higher out of a possible 5) on at least one AP exam during high school—nearly doubling the number of successful students from the class of 2001 and exceeding the total number of students from the class of 2001 who took AP exams.
In Maryland, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) set a new record for AP performance with half of its 2010 graduates (more than 5000 students) earning passing scores on at least one AP exam—almost double the rate of the state as a whole. MCPS represented more than a quarter of Maryland’s graduates taking an AP exam and about one-third of the graduates scoring a 3 or better. In fact, MCPS represented one percent of the nation’s graduates with passing scores.
“We are proud that MCPS students are leading the nation in taking rigorous AP classes and demonstrating college readiness on the exams,” said Christopher S. Barclay, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education. “The outstanding effort and focus of our school staff is ensuring that a greater number of students each year are college and career ready.”
According to the College Board, research shows that students who score a 3 or higher on AP exams “typically experience stronger college outcomes than otherwise comparable non-AP peers.” As the AP report clearly demonstrates, area high schools have responded by increasing the availability of AP courses and encouraging more students to take AP exams.
A complete copy of the 2011 AP Report to the Nation is available on the College Board website.
For the third consecutive year, Maryland had the nation’s highest percentage (26.4 percent) of seniors scoring a passing mark on at least one AP exam—up almost two percentage points over last year. Virginia placed third at 23.7 percent, just behind New York (24.6) and above Connecticut (23.2). Nationwide, nearly 17 percent of public high school students from the class of 2010 completed high school with at least one successful AP experience
Maryland also earned honors for being among the states with the greatest five-year percentage increase (4.8) of seniors scoring 3 or higher on an at least one exam. Virginia followed with a 4.0 percent increase in successful test-takers over five years.
More than a half a million public school students from the class of 2010 earned a passing score (3 or higher out of a possible 5) on at least one AP exam during high school—nearly doubling the number of successful students from the class of 2001 and exceeding the total number of students from the class of 2001 who took AP exams.
In Maryland, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) set a new record for AP performance with half of its 2010 graduates (more than 5000 students) earning passing scores on at least one AP exam—almost double the rate of the state as a whole. MCPS represented more than a quarter of Maryland’s graduates taking an AP exam and about one-third of the graduates scoring a 3 or better. In fact, MCPS represented one percent of the nation’s graduates with passing scores.
“We are proud that MCPS students are leading the nation in taking rigorous AP classes and demonstrating college readiness on the exams,” said Christopher S. Barclay, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education. “The outstanding effort and focus of our school staff is ensuring that a greater number of students each year are college and career ready.”
According to the College Board, research shows that students who score a 3 or higher on AP exams “typically experience stronger college outcomes than otherwise comparable non-AP peers.” As the AP report clearly demonstrates, area high schools have responded by increasing the availability of AP courses and encouraging more students to take AP exams.
A complete copy of the 2011 AP Report to the Nation is available on the College Board website.
Posts
It seems to me that the average SAT score of a state's students is a better measure of the education that state's students are getting. The fact that a large percentage of students in a state take AP exams says more about how many people buy the College Board's hype.
ReplyDelete