Michigan sends message to 80,000 high school students: Take AP classes

Parents of more than 80,000 public high school students to get letters from the state encouraging the students to take advanced placement courses
Michigan Department of Education identified the students by scores on the PSAT
Michigan is one of two states sending letters to public school students, leading to an increase in AP participation

For the fourth consecutive year, thousands of Michigan public school students will be getting a letter from the state, encouraging them to take advanced placement courses with the aim of getting them on track to go to college.

The Michigan Department of Education announced Monday that it plans to send 80,500 letters to the parents of public school students who took the spring 2025 Preliminary SAT test in grades 8-10.

The letters are part of an ongoing effort that has led to a record number of Michigan students taking AP courses, state officials say. Students who do well on an AP exam can gain college credit while still in high school. The state is sending the letters to parents of students whose performance on the PSAT indicates they would score a 3 or higher on AP tests, which are graded on a scale of 1 to 5.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has made increasing the number of college graduates in Michigan a priority, with a goal that, by 2030, 60% of the state population will have a college degree or certificate. Michigan’s overall postsecondary attainment rate was 51.8% in 2023, trailing the national rate of 54.9%, according to a 2025 report from the Lumina Foundation.

The state offers more than a dozen scholarships and grants aimed at increasing college attainment. About 53% of the high school class of 2024 enrolled in college.

‘Head start on higher education’

Michigan is only one of two states in the nation to be sending letters to students, suggesting they challenge themselves so they can reach their highest potential while also giving them a boost of confidence, said Bob Wheaton, a state education department spokesperson.

Rhode Island is the other state.

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“One way that we keep Students First is to encourage them to take rigorous AP courses if they can be successful in those classes,” State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said in a statement. “Students who take AP classes are better positioned to succeed in college. They can get a head start on higher education if they do well enough in AP courses to receive college credit while in high school, and they and their parents save money with reduced tuition costs.”

The effort is similar to Wayne State University’s new program, Warriors on the Rise, which automatically enrolls Detroit public school juniors with a 3.0 grade point average into the college in hopes of giving them a boost in confidence to enroll at WSU or another college.

The College Board, a national nonprofit offering opportunities for students to develop skills for college, has developed 40 AP classes that high schools can choose to offer and exams that are administered once a year and can lead to college credit.

The state uses the College Board’s Advanced Placement Potential Tool to identify parents of students who will get the state’s letter, encouraging them to take AP courses.

During the 2022-23 school year, the Department of Education sent its first letter to qualified high school students, encouraging them to take AP classes.

Since then, participation in AP classes has increased, state officials say.

In 2023, 56,885 Michigan public school students took an AP exam. The number increased 11% to 63,053 in 2024 and 4.5% in 2025, to 65,898 students.

African American and Hispanic student participation in AP exams also increased. The rate last year for African American students increased 13.8%, compared to 6.1% nationally. Hispanic students increased by 3.2 percent.

This year’s letter encourages students to take AP classes and also explore other programs in high school including dual enrollment, early middle college, career and technical education (CTE) programs, or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

“Helping students recognize their potential early is critical to planning their futures and preparing for the next step,” said Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, which partnered this year with the education department.

“This effort ensures families receive clear, timely information about the opportunities available to their children. It reflects a shared commitment with the Michigan Department of Education to expand access to rigorous learning opportunities, preparing more Michigan students for lifelong success.”

Not all public high schools offer AP courses, Wheaton said. But students can take them in neighboring school districts or through Michigan Virtual.

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