BATON ROUGE — Louisiana's Advanced Placement test scores have grown at more than twice the national rate, new data from the College Board shows. 

Louisiana now ranks first among states in AP growth since 2019.

The percentage of Louisiana AP Exams earning a qualifying score rose from 37.4% in 2019 to 69.1% in 2026, the Louisiana Department of Education said Tuesday. In 2019, the number of Louisiana AP Exams earning a qualifying score trailed the national average by 20.5 percentage points. In 2026, the gap is only 2.2 points.

AP exams are scored on a scale of one to five, with scores of three through five earning a qualifying score that can be used as credit for college courses. 

In 2019, students earned 11,118 qualifying scores. That number rose to 21,383 in 2026. 

Top scores of five also rose 22%, and bottom scores of one declined 30%. 

“Louisiana teachers have sharpened their craft year after year, and these gains are a result of that dedicated focus,” Deputy Superintendent Dr. Jenna Chiasson said in a prepared statement. “Every qualifying score is an opportunity for a student to earn college credit while in high school and graduate ready for what comes next.”