Wisconsin students scored strongly in AP exam testing in 2014, but differences between ethnic groups persist, according to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
The AP program, including both classes and exams, is a standardized program run by the College Board, a New-York based nonprofit organization.
AP exams are scored from 1 to 5 and most colleges and universities grant credit or placement with a score of 3 or higher.
Furthermore, 38,431 of Wisconsin’s juniors and seniors took 64,398 AP exams this year and scored 3 or higher in 68.1 percent of them, which is higher than the national average of 59.1 percent, according to the release.
Participation in AP classes and exams also increased over the last year from 36,829 to 38,431.
However, both the average participation and performance of black students was significantly lower than students of other races.
The total amount of black students who took the AP exam this year went down from 1,122 last year to 1,086 this year.
It is the only ethnic group that experienced a decrease in the number of participants, according to the release.
Only 30.2 percent of Black students who have taken the AP exams this year earned a score of 3 or higher, compared to the percentage of White and Asian students, which is 70.3 percent and 68.9 percent, respectively.
