Illinois outpacing the nation in increasing low-income students’ participation in Advanced Placement

According to an article from the Illinois State Board of Education, “Data released by the College Board show Illinois' efforts to improve students' access to AP are paying off. The ISBE covered a portion of the AP exam fee for all students who qualified as low-income in 2017. The fee reduction resulted in an 11-percent increase in the number of low-income students taking AP exams over 2016 levels – well above the 7-percent national increase and three times greater than the 3.6-percent average increase in states that did not provide funding.”

Success on AP exams can earn students early college credit, potentially making college more affordable or allowing students to take more advanced or elective courses.

“We have tremendous human capital in Illinois," State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D., said in the press release. “Closing gaps in opportunity and support for our students drives economic and social growth for our communities. The success of our AP program shows what happens when we invest in equity."

Other highlights from Illinois' AP successes include:

  • Illinois also is outpacing the nation in increasing the number of Hispanic students taking AP exams. Hispanic students' participation increased by 12.1 percent from 2016 to 2017 in Illinois – compared to 8.8 percent nationally.
  • 26.3 percent of Illinois students in the class of 2017 scored a 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school – up from 14.5 percent in 2007. Illinois ranks fifth in the nation for growth during the past 10 years in the number of students scoring a 3 or higher on an AP exam during high school.
  • 38.9 percent of Illinois students in the class of 2017 took an AP exam during high school – up from 21.2 percent in 2007.
  • 63.9 percent of AP exams taken by Illinois students in the class of 2017 resulted in a score of 3 or higher – compared to 56.2 percent nationally. (Individual students may take more than one exam.)

See the full article at https://tinyurl.com/y92r7m8c.