Here's dueling perception of NJ high school students' performance on Advanced Placement exams. From the Record and Trevor Packer, vice president of the AP program, the article entitled "NJ Students Score Resounding Success":
Members of New Jersey's Class of 2010 who took Advanced Placement tests can be proud: 72 percent of their exams had scores of 3 or above, the highest passing rate in the nation.
From the Governor's Office, a press release entitled "NJ Students Most Prepared for College, Yet Achievement Gap Remains for Minorities":
Wealthier New Jersey students are among the best prepared in the nation to succeed in college, according to the College Board’s 7th Annual Report to the Nation released today. But low-income and minority students don’t take as many advanced-level courses and are not as ready for higher education, further demonstrating the need to implement Governor Christie’s education reform agenda.