New York City Public Schools Celebrates Significant Gains in Advanced Placement Exam Performance

  • Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2026

NEW YORK – NY, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels today announced significant improvement in Advanced Placement (AP) exam outcomes, with student performance increasing for the third consecutive year. This maintains a post-pandemic trend of rising scores.  

“I’m once again inspired by our students’ resilience and determination,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. “They’ve accelerated their progress beyond expectations and though we’re celebrating strong gains across every student group, this growth is especially clear among our Black and Hispanic students. It's powerful to see these young people rise to the challenge, take their learning to new heights, and prepare for their next steps. I look forward to seeing this momentum build across our system.” 

Overall, the number of students taking at least one AP exam increased by 3.5%, while the number of students earning a qualifying score of 3 or higher rose by 15.9% compared with 2024. By comparison, in 2024, participation increased by 1.4% and qualifying scores rose by 12.2% over 2023 levels. Moreover, over 72,000 students sat the AP, which is a record high for the second year running.  

This underscores a promising pattern of students earning college-ready scores substantially faster than the percentage of students taking one or more AP exams. This meaningful academic progress can be attributed in part to a strategic refocusing on three high-leverage access courses, AP African American Studies, AP Precalculus, and AP Seminar, which expand access to rigorous, college-level learning for students across the city.

Largest increases in qualifying scores were seen in: 

  • AP African American Studies (+121.3%) 
  • AP English Language and Composition (+46.8%) 
  • AP Precalculus (+46.5%) 

Students of all major ethnic groups saw increases in both participation and performance, with notable gains among Black and Hispanic students.  

Black Students:

  • Participation increased by 2.4%  
  • Students earning qualifying scores increased by 29.2% 

Hispanic Students: 

  • Participation increased by 4.5%  
  • Students earning qualifying scores increased by 23.7% 

These results demonstrate that NYCPS students are not just recovering from pandemic disruptions; they are excelling. NYCPS remains committed to expanding access to high-quality, rigorous academic instruction, while ensuring equitable participation across student groups and supporting every student.  

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Contact Chancellor’s Press Office: press@schools.nyc.gov