{"id":16092,"date":"2019-02-06T09:10:24","date_gmt":"2019-02-06T14:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/msde\/?p=16092"},"modified":"2019-02-06T09:10:56","modified_gmt":"2019-02-06T14:10:56","slug":"another-new-record-for-maryland-students-on-advanced-placement-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/msde\/another-new-record-for-maryland-students-on-advanced-placement-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Another New Record for Maryland Students on Advanced Placement Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scores Rise, Participation Sets New Mark<\/strong><\/h3>\n

BALTIMORE \u2013 <\/strong>Maryland student success on the Advanced Placement (AP) test set another new record in 2018, while participation on the rigorous tests remains high.<\/p>\n

The percentage of Maryland seniors who earned a score of 3 or higher on one or more AP exams reached 31.6 percent in 2018, up from 31.2 in 2017 and 30.3 in 2016.\u00a0 That placed fourth, just after Massachusetts (32.9), Connecticut (32.2) and Florida (31.7).<\/p>\n

A score of 3 or better is the threshold at which many higher education institutions award college credit to high school students on an AP assessment.<\/p>\n

The percentage of Maryland graduates taking an AP test while in high school remains at nearly 50 percent (49.1 percent), and a record 27,387 graduating seniors in the State took the exam in 2018.\u00a0 Maryland\u2019s participation rate remained third in the nation, behind only the District of Columbia (57.2 percent) and Florida (55.9 percent).\u00a0 In Massachusetts, 47.3 percent of graduates completed an AP test, while in Connecticut 45.1 percent completed the test.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur administration is committed to ensuring that Maryland’s students have access to the high quality instruction needed to compete in today’s 21st century workforce,\u201d said Governor Larry Hogan.\u00a0\u201cCongratulations to our students, educators, and administrators for continuing to lead the nation in Advanced Placement assessment achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, said the AP program offers one important path to a brighter future for students.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaryland schools continue their focus on preparing graduates for careers or additional education, and the Advanced Placement courses provide students with important challenges,\u201d Dr. Salmon said.\u00a0 \u201cWe continue to look for opportunities to improve access to AP. We believe our students will continue to rise above the bars that we set.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maryland in 2017 launched the Lead Higher Initiative, designed to close equity gaps for lower income students and students of color in AP and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. While the program did not have a significant impact on last year\u2019s senior class, its effect should become apparent over time. Maryland in 2017 joined Illinois as the first two states to sign on to the Lead Higher Initiative.<\/p>\n

These new AP statistics are included in cohort data released today by the College Board for the class of 2018.\u00a0 Both participation and success improved throughout the nation, according to the report, with 38.9 percent of public high school graduates now taking at least one AP course and 23.5 percent receiving a 3 or better.<\/p>\n

The College Board\u2019s new analysis of the college-level assessment program provides a variety of information on efforts taking place in Maryland schools.\u00a0 For example:<\/p>\n