For many underprivileged urban African-American youth, the notion of going to a college or a university may often seem like only a dream. However, the bridge to narrow the gap between whites and blacks attending college is making immediate progress, thanks to a new study that focuses on giving strategies and success stories on how to boost AP (Advanced Placement) test performance for urban high school students.
The strategies utilized by six model school districts who saw improvement in AP performance and participation were released in a new report by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.
Entitled, “The Road to Equity: Expanding AP Access and Success for African-American Students” outlines practices that will help African-American youth excel in AP testing.
Out of the 75 school districts selected for the study, Cobb County School District, Ga., Fullton County School System, Ga., Garland Independent School District, TX., Jefferson County Public Schools, KY, Orange County Public Schools, FL., and San Diego Unified School District, CA. saw the most significant simultaneous improvement in AP success and participation, according to the report.
Karen Denne, the Chief Communications Officer for the Broad Foundation, understands the importance of college preparedness, and believes that the study will positively influence change in the historical gaps between whites and blacks in the higher education system.
“As districts increasingly focus on college readiness by increasing student access to AP exams, we frequently see a corresponding decline in passing rates because not all students are well-prepared to succeed on the exam,” she said. “By releasing this data, The Broad Foundation hopes to highlight the need to accelerate these gap closures in order to prepare every student for life after high school.”
Initially, the model for improving AP performance and participation followed 75 urban school districts from different parts of the United States who met necessary demographics for the study, as a way to determine how the new strategies were impacting student success in the classroom.
Upon completion of the study, the foundation discovered that by employing different practices, some districts were able to increase AP test performance without affecting participation rates.
Offering a rigorous curriculum beginning in elementary grades, expanding access to gifted programs, analyzing results of precursor college exams, providing extra academic and social support to students, increasing the number of AP courses offered, additional teacher training, instilling confidence in urban youth to attend college, and educating families about the importance of AP were all incorporated among these particular school districts.
Although, the study provided a measure of effectiveness in pinpointing strategies to narrow the gap between blacks and whites in AP courses and testing, there were still an overwhelming number of districts who remained on the outside looking in.
“This study found that in only six of the 75 districts studied, the performance gap narrowed between African-American and white students without compromising participation in the college-readiness courses and on tests,” Denne said.
“We hope that the best practices in these six districts might serve as models for other urban school districts hoping to improve the college-readiness of their black students through AP participation.”
The College Board’s AP program serves as the standard for academic rigor, while allowing high school students in earn college credits.
Since 2000, enrollment in AP classes has nearly tripled throughout the country and provides an important predictor in college success.
Although, the study offers a step in the right direction to help eliminate racial education gaps, Denne realizes that it’s a long road to ensure equal opportunity and success among whites and blacks in the classroom.
“None of these results are a cause for celebration,” Denne explained. “Even in these six districts, average gains for black students outpaced the gains for white students by only 1 to 2 percentage points per year.”
“But what’s important is they are moving in the right direction. As a country, we have a long way to go before we eliminate opportunity and achievement gaps for students of all color.”
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