Latino students in New Mexico rank No. 1 in Advancement Placementtests for the second time in a row.

Gov. Susana Martinez made the announcement on Sat. Feb. 1.

"I am so proud of New Mexico's students for this remarkable achievement. When we talk about reforming education to bolster student success in the classroom, this is exactly the outcome we're looking for. We're at the top of a national list, and our AP students and teachers deserve all the credit," said Gov. Martinez during a press conference.  

A report found nearly half of Latino high school graduates in 2013 took an AP test. About 43 percent of those students scored a "3" or higher, and earned the highest percentage in the U.S.

 Students who take AP courses in high school can skip introductory college courses and create the potential to graduate a semester or even a year early. 

High school students in New Mexico earned a total of 17,808 college credits in 2013 and an average of $200 per credit. They saved more than $3.5 million in tuition costs. 

Gov. Martinez told reporters,"the incredible news for mom and dad is that those classes count as college credit, saving New Mexicans more than $3.5 million in tuition money last year alone. Those are direct savings for our families who work to put their kids through college," she said.

The governor also announced that low income students in New Mexico rank No. 2 in Advancement Placement exams as well, the second highest nationwide.