The Louisiana Department of Education announced Thursday that the state had the nation’s largest increase in the number of students passing Advanced Placement tests in the 2013-14 school year.

High school students who take an AP course and pass the end-of-year test, administered by the College Board, can earn college credit.

During a media teleconference, Superintendent of Education John White said AP is the “nation’s highest caliber of college preparatory courses and tests.” White said Louisiana set the national standard during the 2012-13 school year for AP tests passed, but this year the state saw even more improvement.

“From 2013-14 we eclipsed that mark, increasing by 1,266 tests passed by our kids for a total in 2014 of 6,410 AP tests passed in the state,” White said. “That is up by well over 2,000 tests since 2012, when 4,112 tests were passed.”

The Education Department said Louisiana’s participation in AP courses has grown significantly in the past two years. Louisiana students enrolled in 28,009 AP courses in 2014, compared with 23,485 in 2013.

White said students who take AP courses benefit in college and in life — even if they don’t pass the test associated with the course and earn college credit ­— because the courses are so rigorous.

“Providing these challenging courses to our kids is critical to their future in life, and that’s why we’re seeking to be a national leader,” White said. “It’s all about providing the highest level of opportunity for our kids.”

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