Georgia Ranks 11th in the Nation on Advanced Placement Exams

Georgia ranks 11th in the nation in the percentage of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, according to The College Board's AP Report to the Nation released today. This report measures progress of the class of 2010.

"Our students must have rigorous coursework in high school to be successful after they graduate,” said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “I am so pleased that more of our students than ever are taking AP courses and passing the exam.”

Advanced Placement classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.

The AP Report to the Nation looks at data for 2010 high school seniors. Among Georgia's public high school seniors in 2010:

* 19.1% scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam during high school. That is higher than the national average of 16.9%.
* Georgia is tied for 6th in the nation when comparing the five-year increase of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (4.7% growth compared to 3.0% for the nation).
* Georgia has the 10th highest one-year increase of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (1.3% growth compared to 1.0% for the nation).

When it comes to public school students enrolling in AP courses and taking the exams, Georgia is also a national leader. Only four other states in the country had a greater percentage of AP exam-takers last year. The percentage of Georgia seniors who took an AP exam was 37.3%, compared to 28.3% for the nation. State Efforts to Increase AP Participation

The State of Georgia has undertaken many successful efforts to increase participation in AP programs and success on AP exams. Among the initiatives:

From 2003-2010, the Georgia Legislature approved funds to pay for students to take at least one AP exam per year. For those seven years, economically-disadvantaged students had all of their AP exams paid for each year.

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has organized the distribution of AP Teacher Training Grants. Since 2006, GaDOE has funded approximately $970,693.00 in grant awards to train 1,342 new AP teachers. These awards have allowed 792 new AP courses to be offered in public high schools throughout the state. It is anticipated that in 2010 an additional 400 AP teachers will be trained.

The GaDOE has sponsored regional workshops for teachers of AP for the past four years. These workshops are led by master teachers of AP in Georgia high schools. To date, over 2,100 AP teachers have participated in these course-specific workshops.

The Georgia Virtual Schools (GAVS) continues to add AP classes, increasing access to students throughout the state, including those that might not otherwise be able to take an AP class. In 2009-2010, 552 students enrolled in 21 different AP courses.

AP Honor Schools

Superintendent Barge also named today more than 350 AP Honor Schools.

"Georgia continues to see positive trends in Advanced Placement -- not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Superintendent Barge said. "Much of the progress we’re seeing in Georgia can be attributed to our AP Honor Schools."

The 2011 AP Honor Schools are named in five categories, based on the results of AP exams:

* AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students with students testing in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science
* AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher
* AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher
* AP STEM SCHOOLS: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses (AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics B, AP Physics C, AP Computer Science)
* AP STEM ACHIEVEMENT SCHOOLS: Schools with students testing in at least two AP math courses and two AP science courses and at least 40% of the exam scores on AP math and AP science exams earning scores of 3 or higher.

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Georgia Has 12th Highest Percent of Seniors Scoring a 3 or Higher on AP Exams

Georgia has the 12th highest percent of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, according to The College Board's AP Report to the Nation released last week. This report measures progress of the class of 2009.

"I am proud that more Georgia students than ever are challenging themselves with demanding course work and are successfully mastering the material," said State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox. "We recognize that one of the best ways to close the achievement gap is to challenge all students with rigorous work and high expectations."

Advanced Placement classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit. The AP Report to the Nation looks at data for 2009 High School seniors. Among Georgia's public high school seniors in 2009:

* 17.8% scored a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam during high school. That is higher than the national average of 15.9%.
* Georgia is tied for 2nd in the nation when comparing the five-year increase of public school seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (5.4% growth compared to 3.2% for the nation.)
* Georgia ranks 3rd in the nation for its one-year increase of public school seniors scoring a 3 or higher on at least one AP exam (1.5% growth compared to 0.7% for the nation.)

When it comes to public school students enrolling in AP courses and taking the exams, Georgia is also a national leader. Only one other state in the country had a greater one-year increase in the number of AP exam-takers and number of exams given. The number of AP exams taken by Georgia's public school seniors increased 3.3% since 2008, compared to a 1.5% national average increase.

AP Growth Among All Students

Almost 64,000 Georgia students in all grades took at least one AP exam in 2008-2009, an increase of more than 11 percent from the previous year. Georgia's AP population continues to get more diverse as well, with more African-American and Hispanic students taking the rigorous classes.

"We know in Georgia that we must continue to close the achievement gap, and that's why it is so important that more of our minority students are taking these rigorous AP courses and doing well on the exams," Superintendent Cox said. "This AP report shows that Georgia is a leader in minority test-takers and success. We have work left to be done, but we are making tremendous progress."

During the 2008-2009 school year, more than 12,300 African-American public school students (all grades) took an AP exam. That's an increase of 17 percent from the previous year and represents more than 10 percent of all public school African-American test-takers nationwide. There were 3,507 Hispanic students (all grades) that took at least one AP exam in 2008-2009, an increase of more than 19% from the previous year.

According to the AP Report to the Nation, among Georgia's high school seniors:

* More than 23% of students who took an AP exam in 2008-2009 were African-American, an increase of almost one percentage point from the previous year.
* 11.4% of Georgia's African-American high school seniors scored 3 or higher on at least one AP exam. That is almost eight points higher than the national average.
* About 5.6% of Georgia's AP test takers were Hispanic, higher than Georgia's overall Hispanic student population (5.5 percent).

State Efforts to Increase AP Participation

The State of Georgia has undertaken many successful efforts to increase participation in AP programs and success on AP exams. Among the initiatives:

* At the request of Governor Perdue and Superintendent Cox, the Legislature has approved money to pay for students to take one AP exam per year. Economically-disadvantaged students can have all of their AP exams paid for each year.
* The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has organized the distribution of AP Teacher Quality Training Grants. Since 2006, the GaDOE has funded approximately $717,000 in grant awards to train 869 new AP teachers. These awards have allowed 573 new AP courses to be offered in public high schools throughout the state. It is anticipated that in 2010 an additional 282 AP teachers will be trained.
* The GaDOE has sponsored regional workshops for teachers of AP in the fall for the past three years. These workshops are led by master teachers of AP in Georgia high schools. To date, over 1,600 AP teachers have participated in these course-specific workshops.
* The Georgia Virtual School (GAVS) continues to add AP classes, increasing access to students throughout the state, including those that might not otherwise be able to take an AP class. In 2008-2009, 578 students enrolled in 20 different AP courses. The Georgia Virtual School will begin offering AP Spanish in Fall 2010.
* The GaDOE developed the AP Handheld Project this year and gave $64,580 in grants to 56 schools for the purchase of handheld technology for students to use in their courses.

AP Honor Schools

Superintendent Cox also named today more than 125 AP Honor Schools.

"Georgia is making tremendous strides with Advanced Placement -- not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Superintendent Cox said. "Much of that progress comes from the dedication to rigor and excellence at each of our AP Honor Schools."

The 2010 AP Honor Schools are named in three categories, based on the results of 2008-2009 AP classes and exams:

* AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science
* AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher
* AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher

The AP Honor Schools are listed below.

AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in all four academic areas

Albany HS, Dougherty County Allatoona HS, Cobb County AR Johnson Magnet HS, Richmond County Armuchee HS, Floyd County Avondale HS, DeKalb County Bowdon HS, Carroll County Buford HS, Buford City Callaway HS, Troup County Carver School of Health Sciences, Atlanta City Chattooga HS, Chattooga County Clinch County HS, Clinch County Commerce HS, Commerce City Cook County HS, Cook County Coosa HS, Floyd County Cross Keys HS, DeKalb County Decatur HS, Decatur City DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb County Gordon Central HS, Gordon County Gordon Lee HS, Chickamauga City Greene County HS, Greene County Hancock Central HS, Hancock County

Heritage HS, Catoosa County Howard HS, Bibb County Jefferson HS, Jefferson City John Davidson Magnet HS, Richmond County Lincoln County HS, Lincoln County Long County HS, Long County McIntosh County Academy, McIntosh County Model HS, Floyd County Mount Zion HS, Carroll County Northeast HS, Bibb County Oglethorpe County HS, Oglethorpe County Rabun County HS, Rabun County Savannah School of the Arts, Chatham County Screven County HS, Screven County Southwest HS, Bibb County TEACH Charter HS, Fulton County Temple HS, Carroll County Therrell School of Health Sciences, Atlanta City Thomasville HS, Thomasville City Vidalia HS, Vidalia City Westside HS, Richmond County

AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher

AR Johnson Magnet HS, Richmond County Academy of Richmond County HS, Richmond County Baldwin HS, Baldwin County Benjamin Mays HS, Atlanta City Berkmar HS, Gwinnett County Bradwell Institute, Liberty County Campbell HS, Cobb County Cedar Shoals HS, Clarke County Cedartown HS, Polk County Central Gwinnett HS, Gwinnett County Chamblee Charter HS, DeKalb County Chapel Hill HS, Douglas County Cross Keys HS, DeKalb County Dacula HS, Gwinnett County Dalton HS, Dalton City DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb County Douglas County HS, Douglas County Dutchtown HS, Henry County Eagle’s Landing HS, Henry County Early County HS, Early County

Fayette County HS, Fayette County Henry Grady HS, Atlanta City Herschel Jenkins HS, Chatham County Jenkins County HS, Jenkins County John Davidson Magnet HS, Richmond County Liberty County HS, Liberty County Lithia Springs HS, Douglas County Luella HS, Henry County Marietta HS, Marietta City McEachern HS, Cobb County Phoenix HS, Gwinnett County Rockdale County HS, Rockdale County Salem HS, Rockdale County Sandy Creek HS, Fayette County Shiloh HS, Gwinnett County South Gwinnett HS, Gwinnett County Southwest DeKalb HS, DeKalb County Statesboro HS, Bulloch County Woodland HS, Henry County

AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher

Alpharetta HS, Fulton County Brookwood HS, Gwinnett County Centennial HS, Fulton County Chamblee Charter HS, DeKalb County Chattahoochee HS, Fulton County Columbus HS, Muscogee County Decatur HS, Decatur City DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb County Druid Hills HS, DeKalb County Duluth HS, Gwinnett County Dunwoody HS, DeKalb County George Walton HS, Cobb County Greenbrier HS, Columbia County Gwinnett School of Math, Science, and Technology, Gwinnett County Harrison HS, Cobb County John Davidson Magnet HS, Richmond County Lakeside HS, Columbia County

Lakeside HS, DeKalb County Lassiter HS, Cobb County Milton HS, Fulton County North Gwinnett HS, Gwinnett County North Oconee HS, Oconee County North Springs HS, Fulton County Northview HS, Fulton County Oconee County HS, Oconee County Parkview HS, Gwinnett County Peachtree Ridge HS, Gwinnett County Riverwood HS, Fulton County Roswell HS, Fulton County Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham County South Forsyth HS, Forsyth County Starr’s Mill HS, Fayette County West Forsyth HS, Forsyth County

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Schools Honored for AP Performance

More than 80 "AP Honor Schools" named

State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox named more than 80 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools today.

"Georgia is making tremendous strides with Advanced Placement -- not only in the number of students taking the courses, but in the number of students having success," Superintendent Cox said. "Much of that progress comes from the dedication to rigor and excellence at each of our AP Honor Schools."

Advanced Placement (AP) classes and exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP classes offer rigorous college-level learning options to students in high school. Students who receive a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams may receive college credit.

The 2009 AP Honor Schools are named in three categories, based on the results of 2007-2008 AP classes and exams:

- AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in the four core areas of English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science
- AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP test takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP exams scoring 3 or higher
- AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher

The AP Honor Schools are listed below.

On Wednesday (February 4), the College Board released the AP Report to the Nation, which showed that Georgia ranked 15th nationally in the percentage of 2008 high school seniors that had at least one AP exam with a score of 3 or more.

Schools named in all three AP Honor School categories
(School, district)

- Davidson Magnet School, Richmond
- DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb

School named in two AP Honor School categories
(School, district, categories)

- Chamblee High School, DeKalb (access and merit)
- Cross Keys High School, DeKalb (challenge and access)
- Decatur High School, Decatur City (challenge and merit)
- Johnson Magnet School, Richmond (challenge and access)
- Montgomery County High, Montgomery (Challenge and access)
- North Oconee High, Oconee (challenge and merit)
- Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham (challenge and merit)
- Thomasville High School, Thomasville City (challenge and access)

AP CHALLENGE SCHOOLS: Schools with fewer than 900 students that are offering AP classes in all four academic areas

Albany High School, Dougherty
Avondale High School, DeKalb
Bremen High School, Bremen City
Buford High School, Buford City
Calhoun High School, Calhoun City
Cook County High School, Cook
Cross Keys High School, DeKalb
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
Decatur High School, Decatur City
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
East Jackson High School, Jackson
Greene County High School, Greene
Johnson Magnet High School, Richmond
Lincoln County High School, Lincoln
McIntosh County Academy, McIntosh
Montgomery County High, Montgomery
North Oconee High School, Oconee
Northeast High School, Bibb
Putnam County High School, Putnam
Rabun County High School, Rabun
Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham
Schley County Middle-High School, Schley
Southeast Bulloch High School, Bulloch
Temple High School, Carroll
Thomasville High School, Thomasville City
Vidalia Comprehensive High, Vidalia City

AP ACCESS & SUPPORT SCHOOLS: Schools with 30% of AP Test Takers that are African-American or Hispanic and at least 30% of all AP Exams scoring 3 or higher

Academy of Richmond County, Richmond
Bacon County High School, Bacon
Baldwin High School, Baldwin
Berkmar High School, Gwinnett
Bradwell Institute, Liberty
Bryan County High School, Bryan
Burke County High School, Burke
Campbell High School, Cobb
Central Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
Chamblee High School, DeKalb
Chapel Hill High School, Douglas
Clinch County High School, Clinch
Cross Keys High School, DeKalb
Dalton High School, Dalton City
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
DeKalb HS of Technology, North, DeKalb
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
Douglas County High School, Douglas
Druid Hills High School, DeKalb
Dublin High School, Dublin City
Dutchtown High School, Henry
Eagle’s Landing High School, Henry
East Laurens High School, Laurens
Emanuel County Institute, Emanuel
Fayette County High School, Fayette
Jenkins High School, Savannah-Chatham
Jenkins County High School, Jenkins
Johnson Magnet High School, Richmond
Luella High School, Henry
McEachern High School, Cobb
Montgomery County High, Montgomery
Randolph Clay High School, Randolph
Rockdale County High School, Rockdale
Salem High School, Rockdale
Sandy Creek High School, Fayette
Shaw High School, Muscogee
Shiloh High School, Gwinnett
South Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
Southwest DeKalb High School, DeKalb
Tech High School, Atlanta Public Schools
Thomasville High School, Thomasville City
Woodland High School, Henry

AP MERIT SCHOOLS: Schools with at least 20% of students taking AP exams and at least half of the AP exams scoring a 3 or higher

Alpharetta High School, Fulton
Brookwood High School, Gwinnett
Centennial High School, Fulton
Chamblee High School, DeKalb
Chattahoochee High School, Fulton
Columbus High School, Muscogee
Davidson Magnet High School, Richmond
Decatur High School, Decatur City
DeKalb School of the Arts, DeKalb
Duluth High School, Gwinnett
Harrison High School, Cobb
Lakeside High School, Columbia
Lassiter High School, Cobb
Milton High School, Fulton
North Forsyth High School, Forsyth
North Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett
North Oconee High School, Oconee
North Springs High School, Fulton
Northview High School, Fulton
Parkview High School, Gwinnett
Riverwood High School, Fulton
Roswell High School, Fulton
Savannah Arts Academy, Chatham
South Forsyth High School, Forsyth
Starrs Mill High School, Fayette
Walton High School, Cobb
West Forsyth High School, Forsyth