Michigan Continues to Improve in Advanced Placement Exam Performance

February 21, 2018

LANSING – Over 20 percent of Michigan’s 2017 class of graduating high schoolers scored a 3 or higher on the national Advanced Placement (AP) Exam, qualifying them for college credit, placement, or both, the Michigan Department of Education announced (MDE) today.

According to College Board’s AP Cohort Data Report for the nation’s public schools’ graduating class last year, Michigan’s score of 20.6 percent ranks it 21st nationwide, marking a continuous improvement over the past 10 years. In 2007, Michigan had 11.5 percent of its graduating class score a 3 or higher. That nine-point improvement ranks Michigan 14th nationwide for growth.

“This continued growth shows we’re making progress to make Michigan a Top 10 education state in 10 years,” State Superintendent Brian Whiston said. “We all have more work to do and I have great confidence that our schools will continue to improve and provide a great benefit to Michigan families.”

AP Exams are college-level tests administered by the College Board. Michigan transitioned to using the not-for-profit organization’s standardized college admissions exam, the SAT, as part of the Michigan Merit Examination in 2016. The state began offering the PSAT 8/9 to freshmen; the PSAT 10 to sophomores; and the SAT to juniors during regular school hours at no charge.

In 2017, 20,069 Michigan high schoolers, or 20.6 percent, scored from 3 to 5, according to the College Board. Based on students’ opportunity to earn at least three college credits for each AP Exam score of 3 or higher, this represents an estimated 208,484 college credits. At an average rate of $431.17 per credit hour, the total potential cost savings for the state’s students and families was $90.3 million.

Nationwide, 1.17 million public high school students took 3.98 million AP Exams.

Research shows AP students are more college ready, and more likely than their non-AP peers to graduate from college in four years. Students earning prior college credit can save what they would otherwise have to pay for another year of college – on average, $20,770 at public, four-year, in-state colleges; $36,420 at public, four-year, out-of-state colleges; and $46,950 at private, four-year colleges or universities.

Meanwhile, 21 Michigan public and private school districts were named to the College Board’s 8th Annual AP District Honor Roll, an award recognizing districts that increase both student AP access and student percentage earning scores of 3 or higher.

They are:

Anchor Bay School District
Bath Community Schools
Capac Community Schools
DeWitt Public Schools
Diocese of Lansing Education Office
East Lansing Public Schools
Glen Lake Community Schools
Holt Public Schools
Kalkaska Public Schools
Lakeview School District (Battle Creek)
Lakewood Public School District
Marshall Public Schools
Novi Community School District
Paw Paw Public Schools
Rochester Community Schools
Rockford Public Schools
Roscommon Area Public Schools
South Lyon Community Schools
Swartz Creek Community Schools
Tecumseh Public Schools
Vicksburg Community Schools

For more results, visit the College Board Website.