Post by dgriffin on Feb 14, 2008 10:59:36 GMT -5
New York Times
By TAMAR LEWIN Published: February 13, 2008
A higher percentage of students in public high schools are taking Advanced Placement exams and earning a passing grade predictive of college success, according to a report issued Wednesday by the College Board. The gap between the performance of black and white students, however, remains large.
Advanced Placement courses, which offer college level study in 37 subjects, are prepared by the College Board and have been widely seized on as a good route to increasing the rigor of a high school education. They are scored on a 5-point scale, and some colleges offer course credit to students who earn a 3 or above.
The proportion of students taking the courses has grown slowly but steadily over the last five years — and so has the percentage of students with a passing grade of 3 or higher.
Last year more than 15 percent of the 2.8 million students who graduated from public high school scored 3 or above in at least one A.P. exam. In 2002, 11.7 percent of the graduates got at 3 or better on at least A.P. exam, as did 14.7 percent of the 2006 graduates.
The gap between the performance of black and white students, however, remains large. Black students are far less likely than whites to take or pass an A.P. exam. Over all, black students made up 14 percent of last year’s graduates, but with only 7.4 of those taking an A.P. exam and only 3.3 percent of those passing one.
By one measure, Hispanic students seemed to have closed the gap with whites.
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Schools must be doing something right.
By TAMAR LEWIN Published: February 13, 2008
A higher percentage of students in public high schools are taking Advanced Placement exams and earning a passing grade predictive of college success, according to a report issued Wednesday by the College Board. The gap between the performance of black and white students, however, remains large.
Advanced Placement courses, which offer college level study in 37 subjects, are prepared by the College Board and have been widely seized on as a good route to increasing the rigor of a high school education. They are scored on a 5-point scale, and some colleges offer course credit to students who earn a 3 or above.
The proportion of students taking the courses has grown slowly but steadily over the last five years — and so has the percentage of students with a passing grade of 3 or higher.
Last year more than 15 percent of the 2.8 million students who graduated from public high school scored 3 or above in at least one A.P. exam. In 2002, 11.7 percent of the graduates got at 3 or better on at least A.P. exam, as did 14.7 percent of the 2006 graduates.
The gap between the performance of black and white students, however, remains large. Black students are far less likely than whites to take or pass an A.P. exam. Over all, black students made up 14 percent of last year’s graduates, but with only 7.4 of those taking an A.P. exam and only 3.3 percent of those passing one.
By one measure, Hispanic students seemed to have closed the gap with whites.
###
Schools must be doing something right.
