The College Board has announced that Florida leads the nation with the highest percentage of the class of 2019 graduates who took an Advanced Placement (AP) exam while in high school. Fifty-six percent of the 2019 graduating class participated in an AP exam during their high school career.
“Once more, Florida’s students have demonstrated their serious commitment to education as they continue to place third in the nation in Advance Placement (AP) test results,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “High school graduates who succeed in these AP courses are on the path to personal, academic and professional success and should be congratulated.”
“The amazing accomplishments of these graduates means they embrace the importance of education,” said Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran. “Advanced Placement courses are a gateway to achieving success in college, career and ultimately in life, and I am extremely proud of these results. Under Governor DeSantis’ bold leadership, Florida will continue making tremendous strides in student success.”
Also according to data released, Florida’s 2019 graduates continue to have the third highest AP success rate in the nation, with 32.3 percent scoring a 3 or higher on an AP Exam during high school. Additionally, Florida is ranked third in the nation for improvement over the past 10 years in the percentage of graduates scoring 3 or higher on the AP exam during high school, improving by 12.2 percentage points during the last decade.
Additional highlights of the 2019 AP Cohort Data Report include:
- The percentage of Florida graduates who succeeded on AP Exams is 8.4 percent higher than the national average (32.3% vs. 23.9%).
- The percentage of Florida graduates who took an AP exam during high school is 17.1 percent higher than the national average (56.0% vs. 38.9%).
- Florida has eliminated the AP participation and performance gap for its Hispanic students. Hispanic students made up 33 percent of the 2019 graduating class in Florida, yet they accounted for 38 percent of AP exam takers and 42 percent of the graduates scoring 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school.
- According to the College Board, in May 2019, Florida public and private high school students took a total of 215,120 AP exams that resulted in scores of 3, 4, or 5. Based on students’ opportunity to earn at least 3 college credits for each AP exam score of 3 or higher, this represents an estimated 645,360 college credits. At an average rate of $211.67 per credit hour, the total potential cost savings for Florida’s students and families was $136,603,351.
- Desoto County and Pasco County made the 10th annual AP Honor Roll, which recognizes districts increasing access to AP coursework while simultaneously maintaining or increasing their success.
For more information, visit 2019 AP Cohort Data Report.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
