Posts published on February 8, 2010

AP Course Taking And Failure Rates Increase

As more students take a national test with high standards usually the failure rate goes up as well. This is an indicator of higher ambition and a weaker academic pool seeking better qualifications.

The number of students taking Advanced Placement tests hit a record high last year, but the portion who fail the exams is rising as well, a USA TODAY analysis finds. The findings raise questions about whether schools are pushing millions of students into AP courses without adequate preparation and whether schools are not training enough teachers to deliver the high-level material. The analysis finds that 41.5% of students earned a failing score of 1 or 2, up from 36.5% in 1999. In the South, 48.4% of students earned a 1 or 2. (USA Today, 02/04


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