| The national College Board's 2007Advanced | | | | one of the top achievers in eliminating |
| Placement Report to the Nation brought good | | | | equity gaps of Latino students. This means |
| news to Florida Schools. Findings from the | | | | that the percentage of Latino students |
| organization reported overall improvements | | | | represented in Florida Schools has increased |
| for high schools students achieving high | | | | in relation to their overall percentage of |
| rated Advanced Placement test scores. | | | | attendance. According to College Board |
| Nationally, 14.8% of students taking Advanced | | | | President Gaston Caperton, "Florida is one |
| Placement (AP) exams scored a 3 or higher in | | | | state that has dramatically expanded AP |
| 2006, up 14.1% from 2005. | | | | participation and improved performance among |
| | | | Latino students. In Florida, the percentage |
| Educators in the Florida Schools viewed this | | | | of AP students who are Latino actually |
| report with interest for a couple of reasons. | | | | exceeds the percentage of students that are |
| First of all, Florida Schools are interested | | | | Latino in the population." |
| in the accompanying study that reports a | | | | |
| strong correlation between students who take | | | | State funding is used to give Florida Schools |
| AP courses in high school and experience | | | | professional teacher development. And the |
| academic success in college. Secondly, | | | | Florida Schools use PSAT/NSMQT scores to |
| Florida Schools ranked well in most areas of | | | | identify potentially successful AP students. |
| the report. | | | | Finally, Florida Schools awards educators for |
| | | | high student achievement on the AP exams. |
| Florida Schools ranked 7th in the nation for | | | | |
| states with the largest percentage of seniors | | | | Along with California, New York, and Texas, |
| scoring a 3 or better on their AP exams. | | | | the Florida Schools have more schools cited |
| 19.8% of AP students in the Florida Schools | | | | in the report than any other states. Cypress |
| achieved this goal. Top scorer New York State | | | | Bay High School in Weston, Florida and Thomas |
| had 22.7% of its AP students in this upper | | | | Jefferson High School for Science and |
| echelon. | | | | Technology in Alexandria, Virginia received |
| | | | the most mentions of all high schools in the |
| Florida Schools also were in the top five | | | | nation. Despite on-going challenges to meet |
| states to show the most improvement in AP | | | | the needs of a state full of diversity and |
| scores between 2000 and 2006. Finally, the | | | | challenges, Florida Schools are clearly |
| College Board recognized Florida Schools as | | | | making strides towards their goals. |