Georgia’s class of 2014 beat the national average on AP exams

More than a fifth of Georgia high school seniors last year obtained a passing score on at least one Advanced Placement test, placing the state among 16 that exceeded the national average.

In the class of 2014, 22.2 percent of seniors scored a 3 or higher on an AP exam, according to the Georgia Department of Education. That is more than half a percentage point above the national average of 21.6 percent. The performance placed Georgia 15th in the nation for ten-year growth in AP pass rates, the state’s rate having nearly doubled over the past decade.

The results also showed improvement in participation by historically underrepresented groups, including African Americans and low-income students. Georgia ranks eighth in the nation in the percentage of low-income students passing AP exams.