In the 8th annual AP report to the nation, Utah came in 10th nationally for percentage of students passing an AP test.
According to the report by standard.net, 18,500 students took 30,000 AP tests last year with a 68 percent pass rate. 2011 saw an increase in the overall participation in AP tests, up 7.5 percent from previous years.
Maryland was ranked first, and the other western states in the top ten are California and Colorado.
Why are there only three western states in the top 10? This may speak to the gap of education quality between the coasts.
Many BYU students come from the east coast and find BYU rigor to be comparable to high school. Many BYU students from the west find that extraordinary.
But the AP report may just suggest that the East Coast has more of a focus on AP tests. Regardless, Utah school districts should focus on continuing their progression in all aspects of education, not just AP tests.