NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Sept. 25, 2023
Advanced Placement (AP) participation and achievement increase among Mississippi students for 2022-23
JACKSON, Miss. – During the 2022-23 school year, the number of Mississippi students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams reached a record high of 12,044 public school students taking 16,983 AP exams, with a record high of 5,860 exams earning a qualifying score.
Compared to 2021-22, the numbers mark a 14.3% increase of students taking AP exams, a 14.8% increase of tests taken and a 5.1% increase of exams with a qualifying score of three or higher. Hispanic and African-American students achieved the greatest AP gains with the number of Hispanic students earning a qualifying score increasing by 11.5 %, and the number of African-American students achieving a qualifying score increasing by 15.6%.
Over the past 10 years, the number of Mississippi students taking AP courses and passing AP exams, which was 5,056 and 2,437 in 2013 respectively, has more than doubled. The 10-year overall past rate trend on AP exams among all Mississippi students has increased from 32.9% in 2013 to 34.5% in 2023.
AP courses are college-level courses offered by high school teachers. Research shows AP students are better prepared for college and more likely to graduate college in four years than non-AP peers.
“The MDE is proud to see more and more students statewide taking and achieving qualifying scores on AP exams in Mississippi,” said Dr. Raymond Morgigno, interim state superintendent of education. “As schools and districts support access to these exams, students will be better prepared to succeed in college.”
Mississippi is one of 30 states that has established a consistent statewide AP credit policy. Mississippi’s AP policy entitles students who score three or higher on an AP exam to earn at least three college credits at any Mississippi public university or community college, reducing the cost of attending a university.
The Mississippi State Board of Education requires all high schools to offer and enroll students in advanced courses including AP classes in the four core subject areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Participation in AP and other accelerated courses is a factor in school and district accountability grades. Funding is available for schools and districts to cover the cost of low-income students’ AP exam fees.
The Mississippi Department of Education implemented an AP Initiative in 2015-16 to increase statewide participation in AP courses. The effort includes raising awareness about AP benefits, increasing access to AP opportunities and providing AP-focused professional development for teachers, principals and counselors.
Visit the College Board website at collegeboard.org to get information and learn about workshops and resources to aid teachers such as AP Classroom – apcentral.collegeboard.org/instructional-resources/ap-classroom.
Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.
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