SAIPAN — CNMI Public School System students earned the Advanced Placement program’s highest qualifying rate in six years, with 276 of 501 exams administered this year scoring 3 or higher, approximately 55 percent, the school system announced.
A score of 3 or higher on the 5-point AP scale is generally considered a qualifying score and may earn students college credit or advanced placement depending on the institution. The share of exams reaching that mark has climbed from approximately 24 percent in 2021 to approximately 55 percent this year, the highest in the six-year trend, according to PSS.
The results carry extra weight because testing took place in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which caused widespread power and water disruptions across the CNMI immediately before the scheduled testing window. PSS worked with the College Board, schools, administrators, AP coordinators and educators to move testing into the College Board’s exception-testing window in late May, adjusting schedules, locations, technology, staffing and transportation.
“Even in the face of significant disruption, our priority was making sure students had the opportunity to complete the AP exams they had worked toward all year,” said Acting Commissioner of Education Jacqueline P. Che. “These results speak to the perseverance of our students and the extraordinary commitment of the educators, families, and partners who came together to support them.”
PSS offered 15 AP courses and seven Pre-AP courses during the 2025-26 school year. Students reported in end-of-course surveys that AP participation strengthened study habits, academic confidence and their understanding of what to expect in college, the release said.
The AP program is supported through federal funding under the Consolidated Grant’s College, Career, Life Readiness Project.
