Florida Continues to Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement Exams and Narrow the Achievement Gap

February 22, 2017

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Florida Continues to Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement Exams and Narrow the Achievement Gap
~Performance potentially saves students as much as $122 million in college costs ~

Tallahassee, Fla., February 22, 2017 – According to the Advanced Placement (AP) Data Report issued today by the College Board, Florida ranks first in participation in the AP exams during high school and third in the nation for improvement over the last decade.

Governor Rick Scott said, “These results are proof that the investments we are making in education are preparing students to begin college and enter the workforce prepared to succeed. With the ‘Fighting for Florida’s Future’ education budget, we once again increase funding at all levels to ensure Florida remains the best state in the world to live, work and receive an education.”  

Commissioner of Education said, “We are thrilled that Florida’s students have once again demonstrated a strong commitment to academic success, and I am confident this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the graduating Class of 2016. Support from teachers and school administrators is integral to students on their education journey, and I thank them for the ongoing guidance and support they provide to help their students reach their full potential.”

There are significant financial benefits to students who perform well on AP exams. According to the College Board, in May 2016, Florida public and private high school students took a total of 191,987 AP® Exams that resulted in scores of 3, 4, or 5. Based on students’ opportunity to earn at least 3 college credits for each AP Exam score of 3 or higher, this represents an estimated 575,961 college credits. At an average rate of $211.87 per credit hour, the total potential cost savings for the state’s students and families was $122,028,857.

Florida highlights of the AP Report include:

• At 53 percent, Florida jumped from second to first in the nation for the percentage of 2016 graduates who took an AP exam during high school and eliminated the AP participation gap for its Hispanic students.
• Hispanic students made up 29.2 percent of the 2016 graduating class in Florida, yet they accounted for 32.5 percent of AP Exam takers. Hispanic students made up 36.9 percent of the graduates scoring 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school.
• African American students made up 21.3 percent of the 2016 graduating class in Florida and accounted for 13.2 percent of AP Exam takers. Black/African American students made up 7.3 percent of the graduates scoring 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school.
• Over the last decade, the number of Florida graduates participating in AP more than doubled, increasing from 44,893 students in 2006 to 84,986 students in 2016, an increase of 89 percent.
• At 29.5 percent, Florida’s percentage of 2016 graduates who potentially earned college credit with a score of 3 or higher exceeded the national average (21.9 percent).
• Florida is third in the nation for improvement over the past 10 years in the percentage of graduates scoring 3 or higher during high school. Between 2006 and 2016, Florida improved by 11.0 percentage points, from 18.5 percent in 2006 to 29.5 percent in 2016.

For more information, visit AP Cohort Data Report.

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