State education officials announced Wednesday that North Carolina students posted record gains in both participation and performance on Advanced Placement exams last school year.
Students across the country take AP exams to earn college credit. Last year, the number of students taking AP exams in North Carolina increased by about 7% to roughly 90,500 — the highest number in state history. That increase outpaced the U.S. average.
The percentage of students who scored high enough to qualify for college credit increased to 72.1%, also the highest ever and above the U.S. average of 70.1%. It was the second year in a row that the state has exceeded the national average, after a decade of falling short.
“We are doing two things at once,” said State Superintendent Mo Green. “We are increasing access and achievement at the same time.”
All student groups and regions of the state saw growth in both participation and performance on AP exams, with Hispanic students outpacing the national average
“More students know that they belong in these classes, taking these exams, and they’re doing well and they're showing they should have been there in the first place,” said Beth Cross, the state Department of Public Instruction’s assistant director for advanced learning and gifted education.
In recent years, the College Board, which administers AP exams, recalibrated how it scores some of its tests, which has led to increases in the percentage of students scoring a passing grade of at least a 3 out of 5. That has led some to suggest AP grades are being inflated, though the College Board says its recalibration was based on data showing more students were demonstrating proficiency than previously thought.
Asked about this, Sneha Shah-Coltrane, DPI’s senior director for advanced learning and gifted education, said this didn’t change the practical impact of the data — it means more students earning college-level credits that are being recognized by universities. She added that the data still show North Carolina’s comparative gains.
“We are still beating the nation, so no matter how you look at it, we are increasing at a better rate than even across the nation,” Shah-Coltrane said.
State officials highlighted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for recent gains. The percentage of students there scoring high enough for college credit increased by 9 points to 75%. CMS Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight spoke about the improvements.
“Altogether, CMS students earned over 16,000 qualifying scores of 3, 4 or 5, which represents over 49,000 potential college credits. Our parents appreciate that,” Balknight said. “That translates into over $14.3 million in potential tuition savings for CMS families.”
State Superintendent Mo Green has unveiled a strategic plan aimed at making North Carolina schools the “Best in the nation.” Improving AP participation is part of that plan.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has a goal of increasing the number of students who graduate on pace to be enrolled in higher education, enlisted in the military, or employed. Earning college credit on an AP exam is one of the indicators the district uses to consider a student on pace to be enrolled, enlisted or employed.
