Texas Schools See Increase In Number Of AP Exams Taken And Improved Results
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Increase in AP Exam Participation and Scores in Texas Schools
In September 2006, Texas schools reported notable progress in the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams and their improved scores.
Overview
Across the U.S., high schools can offer college-level courses approved by the College Board, which administers AP exams. Schools simply need to pledge to follow the specific curriculum for a course to earn the AP designation.
When students in Texas schools achieve high scores on AP exams, they gain college credit for those courses. This arrangement allows students to save on tuition costs and require fewer courses during their college education.
Key Findings
Many Texas school districts view this initiative as beneficial, motivating students to pursue higher education. The recent data highlights:
- The number of students taking AP exams rose from 80,240 in 2002 to 122,969 in 2006, marking a more than 50% increase.
- The number of students scoring high enough for college credit increased by over 40% from 2002.
- In 2006, a total of 224,168 tests were taken, with 49% scoring three or higher. This is slightly lower than the 53% achieving similar scores in 2002.
- English language, English literature, and U.S. history remain the most popular among the 35 available AP exams.
- Italian, Latin literature, French literature, microeconomics, and physics of electricity and magnetism were the least popular.
Incentives and Improvements
To boost participation in AP courses and exams, many Texas districts offer cash incentives to students and teachers. These funds often come from partnerships with nonprofit organizations or foundation grants, rewarding between $100 to $300 per passed exam. Schools using these incentives have observed a significant increase in students taking and passing exams. For instance, Galveston's Ball High School anticipates $15,800 in student-earned incentives this year.
The improved outcomes in 2006 are attributed to these financial incentives, efforts to reduce exam costs (up to $80 per exam), enhanced teacher training, and a strong push to foster a college-oriented culture within high schools.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Texas Schools See Increase In Number Of AP Exams Taken And Improved Results.
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