New data shows more students in Delaware are participating and testing well in high school Advanced Placement courses.
The number of high school students in the First State taking at least one AP exam has risen in the past decade from more than 3,200 to more than 5,300.
The amount of students getting a 3 out of 5 or better on one AP exam has grown at close to the same rate. Scoring 3 or better can result in students receiving college credits.
State Director of Higher Education Shana Payne says the increased enrollment in advanced classes can be attributed in part to faculty sending letters home to students who display AP potential.
“All Delaware students are able to--for free--take the school day PSAT in the tenth grade. This test through The College Board allows us to be able to identify students who are likely to succeed in an advanced placement course. So with provide this data to the schools and send letters home,” said Payne.
Payne says she also attributes the success of students in advanced courses to grant money used to bolster programs for teachers, known as AP boot camps, which help them prepare students for accelerated learning .
“A series of competitive grants to our districts over the last couple years so that they could develop their own professional learning programs for teachers and work to implement some of the best practices to support student success in those courses--such as AP boot camp and mentoring programs,” said Payne.
She says the amount of students identifying as Latino and multiracial have also shown increased enrollment in AP classes in recent years.