The report from the non-profit College Board shows the number of California high school graduates who took an AP exam increased from about 23-percent in 2001 to 35-percent in 2011.
Trevor Packer oversees the AP program for the College Board. He said California ranks seventh in the nation for students who take AP exams and score three or higher on the five-point scale. That's required by most colleges and universities for credit or placement.
"The fact that the most common score remains a three, and again that's not what we see in many other states, would indicate that California educators are doing a really nice job of expanding access and maintaining quality of instruction," said Packer.
Packer also said African American and Hispanic student participation continues to lag, and he cited the need for more access and encouragement for these groups
