Daniel Fowler, The Examiner
2007-10-09 07:00:00.0
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Prince George’s County -

Advanced Placement test scores in Prince George’s County were the lowest in the past five years, according to recently released data.

During the 2006-07 school year, students took 5,183 examinations, the highest in the past five years.

The average score was 2.2 out of five, compared to 2.34 in 2005-06, when students took 4,118 tests.

County officials said the increased number of students taking the test explained the slight fall off in scores.

“The score is less than two-tenths of a point lower [than last year], but you have an additional more than 1,000 [examinations taken],” schools spokesman John White said. “So that’s not surprising.”

White said last year was the first time the school system — with assistance from the state and the College Board — covered the cost of the AP exams for all students.

“We don’t want them to have an excuse for not taking the exam,” school board member Rosalind Johnson said.

The school system spent $349,048 to pay for the $83 test last year, White said.

Beginning this year, all students who take an AP class will be required to take the examination that goes along with it.

Johnson said it’s important for students to take the examinations so “they get to see what their standing is in comparison to students across the nation.” In addition to paying for and requiring students to take the tests, this year Prince George’s is offering a minimum of eight AP courses at every high school.

“This year academic rigor is not an accident of geography,” White said. “In the past, one school has 26 and another school might have two.”

The eight courses in every school initiative is important, White said, “because these increase the amount of college level work available to our students.”

Of the 1,065 additional AP tests taken in 2006-07, African-American students took 914 of them.

While the numbers of tests taken by African-Americans skyrocketed, their average score remained about the same: 1.83 in 2006-07 compared to 1.86 in 2005-06.

White students averaged 3.06 in 2006-07 and 3.11 in 2005-06.

“There are achievement gaps,” Johnson said. “We know that.”

Johnson said to close the achievement gap “many things” must come into play including increasing the “rigor and expectation” for children.

dfowler@dcexaminer.com