FOR
MORE INFORMATION: College
Board AP Cohort State Report | College
Board AP Cohort Data Report
February
6, 2020 – Georgia’s
public-school class of 2019 has the 17th-highest Advanced Placement
(AP) pass rate in the nation, according to data released by the College Board
today.
In
Georgia, the percentage of class of 2019 public-school students earning a 3 or
higher on an AP exam held steady at 23.2 percent. Georgia students recorded
stronger AP performance than most Southern states, scoring higher than their
peers in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama,
Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
The
percentage of low-income AP test-takers who scored 3 or higher increased in
Georgia, from 43 percent in 2018 to 43.7 percent in 2019. This figure is based
on the performance of students who used an AP exam fee reduction, which states
look to as a marker of equitable participation for low-income students.
“I’m
proud of Georgia’s students, who continue to record strong performance on
Advanced Placement exams and outperform their peers in other Southern states,”
State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I’m also pleased to see the
gains made by economically disadvantaged students in Georgia, as we work to
ensure all students receive an excellent education. Ultimately, our goal is to
provide rich opportunities for every student in our state – from advanced
coursework like AP to the fine arts, world languages, career exploratory
courses, and more.”
Overall,
40.5 percent of Georgia’s class of 2019 took an AP exam while in high school.
This is the 15th-highest AP participation rate in the nation. 30.4
percent of Georgia’s class of 2019 test-takers used an AP exam fee reduction.
2020
AP Honor Schools
Additionally,
State School Superintendent Woods today named 255 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor
Schools for 2020.
“I
commend the students, teachers, and staff of these 255 schools,” Superintendent
Woods said. “Behind this recognition is an enormous amount of hard work, and I
congratulate all those who worked to expand access, improve performance, and
build strong Advanced Placement programs in each school recognized today.”
The
Georgia Department of Education began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.
This recognition began with three categories: AP Access and Support Schools, AP
Challenge Schools, and AP Merit Schools. AP STEM and AP STEM Achievement
categories were added in 2011, and the AP Humanities category was added in
2015. This year two new categories were added: AP Humanities Achievement and AP
Expansion Schools. The AP Merit Schools category was renamed AP Schools of
Distinction.
Categories:
AP
Access and Support Schools (78 named)
Schools
with at least 30% of AP exams taken by students who identified themselves as
African- American and/or Hispanic and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of 3
or higher
AP
Challenge Schools (39 named)
Schools
with enrollments of 900 or fewer students and students testing in English,
math, science, and social studies
AP
Schools of Distinction (70 named)
Schools
with at least 20% of the total student population taking AP exams and at least
50% of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher
AP
Expansion Schools (34 named)
AP
schools with 25% growth in AP participation from May 2018 to May 2019 and a
minimum of 25 students testing in May 2018
AP
Humanities Schools (85 named)
Schools
with a minimum of five students testing in each of the following AP categories:
one ELA course, two history/social science courses, one fine arts course and
one world language course
AP
Humanities Achievement Schools (70 named)
AP
Humanities schools (see above definition) with at least 50% of all AP
Humanities exams earning scores of 3 or higher
AP
STEM Schools (183 named)
Schools
with a minimum of five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses (AP
Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP
Environmental Science, AP Physics 1, AP Physics 2, AP Physics C, AP Computer
Science A, AP Computer Science Principles)
AP
STEM Achievement Schools (94 named)
AP
STEM schools (see above definition) with at least 50% of all AP STEM exams
earning scores of 3 or higher.
