Georgia Outpacing the Nation on Advanced Placement Results

ATLANTA– Governor Sonny Perdue and State School Superintendent Brad Bryant today announced Georgia’s 2009-10 Advanced Placement (AP) results. Since the 2004-2005 school year, Georgia has seen a 97 percent increase in students scoring a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams, compared to a 52 percent increase nationwide.

The six-year trend also shows Georgia has experienced a 106 percent increase in the number of AP public school test-takers, compared to a 56 percent increase nationwide.

“More and more Georgia students are meeting the challenge by taking and passing tough AP classes and exams,” Governor Perdue said. “These tests often lead to earning college credits, which enable our students to enter college well prepared for advanced coursework.”

From 2009 to 2010, Georgia increased the percentage of AP public school test-takers by 13.4 percent compared to 9.5 percent nationwide, according to information recently released by the College Board.  Georgia’s students also showed tremendous gains in the percentage of students scoring a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP exams (11.4 percent compared to 8.3 percent nationwide).

Colleges and universities may award college credit for AP exams completed with a score of three or higher.

“Georgia’s teachers and school leaders continue to step up and offer the rigorous curriculum that AP provides,” said Superintendent Bryant. “The increase in the number of students taking AP courses and scoring a 3, 4, or 5 demonstrates that more of our students are graduating from high school prepared for whatever they chose to do, whether that's college or a career.”

Georgia’s minority students demonstrated significant participation and performance increase on AP exams in May 2010 compared to May 2009.  Over the last year, African-American and Hispanic AP test-takers increased 19.2 percent and 29.3 percent, respectively, compared to the national increase of 13.9 percent for African-American test-takers and 15.3 percent for Hispanic test-takers. Georgia’s minority student AP performance also overshadowed the performance of their national counterparts, with a 15.2 percent increase in AP exam scores of 3 or higher for African-American Georgia test-takers, and a 33.3 percent increase for Hispanic Georgia test-takers, compared to 12.5 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively, for the nation.

This growth has been consistent. Since the 2004-2005 school year, African-American and Hispanic AP test-takers increased 147 percent and 273 percent, respectively, compared to the national increase of 113 percent for African-American test-takers and 90 percent for Hispanic test-takers.

Georgia’s minority student AP performance also saw remarkable gains.

African-American test-takers saw a 153 percent increase in AP exam scores of 3 or higher (compared to 100 percent nationwide) and a 242 percent increase for Hispanic Georgia test-takers (compared to 76 percent nationwide.)

“As we continue to tackle the achievement gap, I am very encouraged by the increase in minority students taking AP courses and excelling,” said Superintendent Bryant. “Results have shown time and again that students who are exposed to more rigorous coursework are better prepared for college and the workforce.”

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