Highlights
Across the nation, educators and policymakers are helping a wider segment of the U.S. student population experience success in AP (see Table 1):
- 15.2 percent of the public school graduating class of 2008 had access to an AP experience that resulted in a score of 3 or higher — the score research shows to be indicative of students learning at levels that increase the likelihood of success in college. This achievement represents a significant and consistent improvement since the class of 2003, when 12.2 percent of graduates experienced success in AP. Eighteen states equaled or exceeded the national percentage of 15.2 percent.
Increasing numbers of African American, Latino and American Indian students are participating in AP, but these students remain underrepresented in AP (see Figure 2):
- Hispanic or Latino students represent 15.4 percent of the public school graduating class of 2008 and 14.8 percent of the AP examinee population.
- Black or African American students represent 14.4 percent of the public school graduating class of 2008 and 7.8 percent of the AP examinee population.
- American Indian or Alaska Native students represent 1.1 percent of the public school graduating class of 2008 and 0.6 percent of the AP examinee population.
A number of individual public schools are recognized in the Report because they have the largest number of African American and Latino students from the class of 2008 experiencing success in particular AP subjects. See Table 3 for details.
This Report shows the racial/ethnic demographics of the total graduating class compared to the racial/ethnic demographics of the AP population scoring 3 or higher on an AP Exam (see Table 2). An equity and excellence gap appears when traditionally underserved students comprise a smaller percentage of the successful student group than the percentage these students represent in the graduating class.
- 18 states closed the equity and excellence gap for Hispanic or Latino students.
- 16 states closed the equity and excellence gap for American Indian or Alaska Native students.
More low-income students are participating and experiencing success in AP than ever before:
- 17.0 percent of AP examinees from the graduating class of 2008 were low-income students, up from 16.2 percent in the class of 2007 and 11.6 percent in the class of 2003.
- Low-income students made up 13.4 percent of the students experiencing success in AP from the graduating class of 2008, compared to 13.1 percent from the class of 2007 and 9.8 percent from the class of 2003.
See State Reports for details.
Note: Because the number of low-income students in the total graduating class is not available, we are unable to report on equity and excellence gaps, as defined above, for low-income students.