High AP science scores climb higher in Montgomery

Montgomery County students taking college-level science courses passed their exams at higher rates than in years past, but Fairfax County students mostly saw their pass rates in courses such as physics and chemistry stagnate or drop. While fewer history, government and foreign-language Advanced Placement exams posted a score of three or higher, Montgomery students pushed their pass rates up in biology, chemistry, environmental science and physics.

Nearly 83 percent of chemistry exams were passing, up from 81.2 percent in 2009 and 80.1 percent in 2008. Biology jumped a point to 73.7 percent, and Physics C and environmental science hit new highs of 77.5 percent and 59.5 percent, respectively.