Mobile County Public Schools announced a sharp increase in the number of students recognized as Advanced Placement Scholars this year, with 369 students earning the distinction — a 26 percent jump from the 293 AP Scholars recorded in 2025.
To be named an AP Scholar, a student must earn a score of 3 or higher on at least three Advanced Placement exams, which are graded on a 5-point scale. The College Board’s AP program lets academically prepared students take college-level courses in high school, and many colleges and universities award credit for exam scores of 3 or higher. Of this year’s 369 AP Scholars, 70 also qualified as AP Scholars with Honor by scoring 3 or higher on at least four exams, and 93 earned AP Scholar with Distinction status for scoring 3 or higher on at least five exams.
Seven MCPSS high schools recorded an increase in AP Scholars this year. Davidson High led the district with 170 scholars, up from 125 in 2025, while Baker High School — the only school in southwest Alabama offering the AP Capstone Program — was second with 141, up from 134 last year. Alma Bryant, Citronelle, LeFlore Magnet, Mary G. Montgomery and Murphy high schools also produced AP Scholars.
District officials said the growth reflects an effort to expand access to rigorous coursework. MCPSS offers dozens of AP courses and covers the cost of the exams for students. “The growth in our AP Scholar numbers reflects the district’s dedication to providing more students with access to rigorous academic opportunities,” said Dr. Melody Tucker, academic supervisor and district AP coordinator. “AP courses not only prepare students for the demands of college-level learning, but they also offer a pathway to earn college credit, build confidence in completing college-level work, and reduce the overall tuition cost for families.”
At Davidson High, counselor Ashley Cauley said the school posted a 95% diploma rate this year, with 21 International Baccalaureate graduates who were also AP Scholars. “As the IB coordinator, I encourage students to challenge themselves academically by pursuing the most rigorous courses possible,” she said, noting that AP coursework helps prepare underclassmen for the two-year IB Diploma program. Beyond AP and IB coursework, MCPSS students can also earn college credit through dual enrollment partnerships with the University of Alabama, the University of South Alabama, Bishop State Community College and Coastal Alabama Community College.