Florida continues to be one of the nation’s leaders in Advanced Placement exams, according to a report from College Board.
Florida, College Board says, has a lot to brag about, especially when it comes to AP scores.
Data released Wednesday found nearly 30 percent of Florida’s high school students scored a 3 or higher on AP exams, the fourth highest percentage of all 50 states in the country. Students need to score a 3 or above to pass an AP exam.
Florida’s AP exam pass rate was much higher than the average national pass rate, which was around 22 percent in 2016.
Nationally, the number of public high school students taking at least one AP exam has skyrocketed, almost doubling in 10 years from 645,000 for the class of 2006 to 1.1 million students in the class of 2016.
Those numbers mirrored Florida’s.
Over the last decade, the number of Florida graduates participating in AP has nearly doubled, increasing from around 45,000 students in 2006 to 85,000 students in 2016.
Florida students are also making headlines for scoring above and beyond average -- with many receiving perfect scores.
At one high school in Miami, the list of achievements was long.
Five students at Southwest Miami High School received a perfect score—every point possible—on an AP Exam in 2016, making it one of just three schools in the nation with five or more students who accomplished this rare achievement.
On top of that, the percentage of Southwest’s AP students who earned a 3 or higher on an AP exam jumped 9 points from 2015 to 2016.
Southwest Principal Carlos Diaz said teachers were the ones who made a difference on how students performed.
“The teachers try to take something that might be incomprehensible to the students and connect it to their lives and their world,” he said. “They are relentless about making sure the students improve, and the students love them for it.”
A separate report from the Florida Department of Education found the state closing the participation gap with AP exam takers. The data found Hispanic students making up around 23 percent of AP exam takers and 21 percent of them scored 3 or higher on AP exams in high school.
Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said the numbers were indicative of a well-rounded education system supporting students on the path to success.
“This is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the graduating Class of 2016,” Stewart said. “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.”
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
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