Pasco County AP Exam Scores Rise

LAND O’ LAKES, FL — Pasco County high school students who take Advanced Placement classes outdid themselves last academic year. The district on Friday released results for the 2016-17 school year, showing that local kids performed better than in any year prior. In addition, Pasco County scores equaled or beat peers across the state, nationally and globally in seven subjects.

“These achievements occurred while Pasco County increased the number of students taking AP exams,” the district noted in an email to media.

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In 2017, 4,174 students took 7,281 AP exams. That was a 2.9 percent increase over 7,077 exams taken in 2016, the district noted.

Fifty-four percent of the AP tests taken in 2017 earned a score of three or higher, which matched the district’s 2014 record. AP exams scores of 3, 4 or 5 are considered to reflect college-level proficiency in a topic. This was the fourth consecutive year the number of kids attaining level 5 scores rose.

“The number of level 4 and level 5 scores either exceeded or matched the district’s best performances,” the district's email said. “Compared to state averages, Pasco County matched the number of level 5 scores (9.6 percent) and exceeded the number of level 3 and 4 scores (25.1 percent compared to 24.9 percent and 25.7 percent compared to 25.3 percent, respectively). Pasco also had fewer Level 1 scores (20.7 percent) than the state (23.1 percent).”

AP courses are college level programs taught at the high school level. Students who successfully complete AP exams with proficient scores earn credit toward their college degrees.

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