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More depression-income and black students in Mississippi are passing college-level Advanced Placement exams in loftier schoolhouse although pass rates for students overall remain depression and stagnant, according to a report released Wednesday.

The College Board's 10th almanac Report to the Nation examines trends in participation and performance on Advanced Placement (AP) exams across the state. Since 2003, the percentage of all graduating low-income students in Mississippi who received a passing score of a three, iv, or five has grown from virtually 8 percent to more 20 per centum. (The study's numbers cover students who didn't have the exam.) At the same time, the percent of the land'southward graduating black students who passed an AP exam has grown slightly, from near 11 percentage in 2003 to nearly fourteen per centum in 2013.

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Despite the growth in black and low-income pass rates, Mississippi ranked terminal in the overall percentage of graduating students who received a passing score in 2013. Fewer than five percent of Mississippi's graduating grade passed an exam, compared to the national average of 20 percent, and more than 29 percent in Maryland, the country with the highest laissez passer rate. Mississippi's percentage of students graduating with passing score on an AP test has grown by simply 1.6 percent points in the last decade, the least amount of growth in the country.

Mississippi also has significantly fewer 11th and 12th grade students — and fewer who are enrolled in AP — than some of the highest performing states. In 2013, more than 121,000 students were enrolled in xith or 12th grade in Maryland'due south public schools, and near 50 percent of graduating students took an AP course. By contrast, that aforementioned year, Mississippi had only about 60,000 students enrolled in eleventh or 12th grade, and about 13 pct of graduating students took an AP course.

The information comes at a fourth dimension of increased attending to college and career readiness in the country, especially in the areas of science, applied science, engineering and math (STEM). Within the next five years, an estimated 46,000 Stalk-related jobs will go bachelor in Mississippi, and well-nigh volition crave a two- or four-year higher degree. The Advanced Placement program offers 12 college-level classes in science, math, and computer science. If high school students pass the course exam, they can ofttimes earn college credit.

In Mississippi, a dwindling number of high schools are offering AP courses. Only 150 schools participated in the AP plan in 2013, compared to 189 schools in 2008. Statewide, few students are taking AP courses in a STEM field. In 2013, only about two per centum of graduating students took an AP math or computer science examination, and about 3 percent took a science test.

Black students in Mississippi are especially underrepresented in these courses. More than 220 white students took the AP Chemical science exam in 2013, and 53 students, or about 24 pct, passed. In contrast, only 89 black students took the exam, and merely four students passed.

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Jackie Mader supervises all photo and multimedia use, covers early childhood pedagogy and writes the early ed newsletter. In her nine years at Hechinger, she has covered a range of topics including teacher...