Breaking the color barrier
Strategies to increase the number of
minority students in AP classes
How important is AP?
• The American Civil Liberties Union recently filed a lawsuit in
California charging that ethnic minority and disadvantaged
students whose high schools offer few or no AP courses are
at a disadvantage in competing for university admissions
with students who have greater access to AP offerings
• 82% of California’s schools offer AP classes
• The average for all U.S. high schools is 60 percent
• There is growing concern about inadequate availability of
AP classes and other college-credit academic programs in
this state, especially for minority, low-income and rural
students.
AP and College Success
70
60
50
40
30
No AP
1 AP
2+ AP
20
10
0
Students who take AP courses and exams are much more
likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree in four
years or less.
Source: Camara, Wayne (2003).
College Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY:
Stand out in the college
admissions process
“One of the best standard predictors of academic
success at Harvard is performance on Advanced
Placement Examinations.”
—William R. Fitzsimmons
Dean of Admissions, Harvard University
The Board encourages the elimination of barriers that
restrict access to AP courses for students from ethnic,
racial, and socioeconomic groups that have been
traditionally underrepresented in the AP Program.
Schools should make every effort to ensure that their
AP classes reflect the diversity of their student
population.
Who is taking the AP Exam?
70
60
White
50
Asian
40
20
African
American
Hispanic
10
Other
30
0
2001 Exam
Who is teaching AP courses?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
White
African
American
Asian/Pacific
Islander
Hispanic
Ethnicity of teachers
Why me?
And not me?
Barriers to Success
• “Tracking” and early identification as
AIG (Academically and Intellectually
Gifted)
• Education level of parents
• Socioeconomic factors
• Peer Pressure
What worked for
Charlotte-Mecklenburg?
• Got rid of prerequisites
• Since 1995, the number of African
American students enrolled in AP courses
has tripled
What did Florida do?
• Formed a $55 million partnership
with the College Board
• Provided college prep courses in
inner city and low-come community
centers, churches and organizations
such as the Urban League
• Trained 16,000 teachers across the
state on how to recruit minority
students to take AP classes and go
to college
• Paid for the AP exam
Jacksonville High School
• White
52%
• African American 33%
• Hispanic and Asian
15%
At JHS, 98% of the students who take
AP US or World History are white
At JHS, 88% of the students who take
Honors World History are white
At JHS, 45% of the students who take
basic (non-Honors) World History are white
What classes are Students
taking?
At JHS, Advanced
College Prep
courses (AP,
Community
College, and
Distance Learning)
account for only
2% of the total
courses
In Onslow County,
Advanced College
Prep courses (AP,
Community
College, and
Distance Learning)
account for only
1% of the total
courses
What classes are Students
taking?
At JHS, Career
and Technical
courses account
for 16% of the total
courses
In Onslow County,
Career and
Technical courses
account for 18% of
the total courses
Change Initiative:
Jacksonville High School
Social Studies Department
Recruit students for an AP course
that is a mirror reflection of the
school’s population
Steps Involved:
• Administrative approval and support
• Recruit students from ALL (not just
Honors) US and World History classes
• Parent/Student Information meeting
• Create Weekly Peer Support Group
• Enroll students
Possible Resistance:
• Teachers
• Students
• Parents of “traditional” AP students
Next Step:
Recruit students!
Sources of Information:
• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/article/
0,,150-157-0-2200,00.html
• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/reposit
ory/ap02_minsurv_sch_17282.pdf
• http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/reposit
ory/ap04_openingdoors_35609.pdf
EDN 528
Change Initiative
Jennifer Ramey Ricks