Like the class of 2020, Georgia's public-school class of 2021 has the 17th-highest Advanced Placement (AP) pass rate in the nation, according to data released by the College Board today.

The percentage of students earning a 3 or higher on an AP exam was 21 percent, slightly below the national average of 22.5 percent. The percentage is not comparable to previous years, according to the College Board, due to the update of high school graduate projections by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).

Georgia students recorded stronger AP performance than most Southern states, scoring higher than their peers in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

“I am proud of the class of 2021 for recording another strong performance on the AP exams," State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “Despite the challenges these students have faced during their four years of high school, they continue to succeed. This is an accomplishment for them and for their hardworking teachers."

Overall, 33.4 percent of Georgia's class of 2021 took an AP exam while in high school. GaDOE is exploring ways to expand access to the AP exams – along with other advanced coursework opportunities – to more students, and will be announcing those measures in the coming months.

“It's a top priority for us to continue removing barriers and expanding opportunities to participate in advanced coursework – including AP – during high school," Superintendent Woods said.