Georgia's AP Pass Rate Climbs To 15th, Returns To 2018 Level

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square Georgia

April 6, 2023

(The Center Square) — Data from the College Board shows that Georgia’s Advanced Placement pass rate has climbed to 15th in the nation.

"While that’s an improvement from 17th place the past three years, the ranking has been more or less stagnant in recent years," according to numbers the Georgia Department of Education provided to The Center Square.

In 2016, Georgia ranked 13th and dropped 16th in 2017 before returning to 15th in 2018. In 2019, the state ranked 16th before falling to 17th in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“What an accomplishment for these hardworking students and their teachers and families,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in an announcement. “As a state, we will continue to pursue excellence and strive to open doors to opportunity for every student who enters our public schools.”

In 2022, roughly one-third (33.9%) of Georgia students took an AP exam during high school, slightly increasing from 33.4% the year before. The percentage of students earning at least a 3 on an AP exam hit 21.2%, slightly increasing from 21% in 2021 but below the national average of 21.6%.

In a news release, Georgia officials said Peach State students topped their counterparts in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

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