A national grant that provides training, test prep and incentives helped four Hawaii high schools make big gains in the number of students taking — and passing — Advanced Placement exams in 2012, officials announced Thursday.

Mililani, Radford, Campbell and Leilehua high schools received the three-year, $450,000 grants in the 2011-12 school year as part of a public-private partnership aimed at helping schools with large populations of children from military families.

The funds allowed the schools to increase the number of students taking AP courses in math, science or English, to 1,096 this year from 691 in 2011 — an increase of 58 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of students receiving scores high enough on AP exams to receive college credit rose 68 percent, from 247 students in the 2010-11 school year to 415 in 2012.

Gregg Fleisher, senior vice president of the Dallas-based National Math and Science Initiative, which awards the grants, said the schools were among the highest in the state for the increase in the sheer number of students passing AP exams in math, science and English to receive college credit.

The campuses accounted for 82 percent of the state’s increases in qualifying AP math, science and English scores.

"It just shows an unbelievable increase," Fleisher said.

Students who receive a 3 or above on an AP exam can get college credit at many universities. The top exam score is 5.

John Brummel, Mililani High principal, said the grant program offered students regular all-day Saturday sessions and gave them a chance to learn from master teachers.

Students also had an incentive: Pass the AP exam and get $100. Teachers got $100 for each of their students who passed and a $1,000 bonus if they met a personal passing-rate goal.

But Brummel said the crux of the program isn’t about incentives or even about earning college credit, but exposing students to a rigorous curriculum.

"They’re going to be better prepared for college and for life after high school," he said.

The recent gains are part of wider efforts to increase AP course offerings at schools statewide. Last school year, 4,530 Hawaii public school students took AP courses, according to preliminary numbers, up from 2,932 four years earlier.

Fleisher said he is hoping that several more Hawaii high schools apply and receive National Math and Science Initiative grants to increase AP course-taking in math, science or English.

The initiative was launched in 2007, and receives support from a host of business and foundations. In 2010 the program kicked off the Initiative for Military Families, with federal support, to boost AP offerings for military dependents.

Grants have been awarded nationwide to 52 schools with high numbers of military dependents, and some 410 other public schools, Fleisher said.