86. Increase access to advanced programs and coursework. [i]

Partnerships and P-12 Education Systems 09.6.24

Here’s what the federal government can do:

  • Congress should appropriate funding for programs that address barriers to enrollment and improve student outcomes in advanced courses, including dual enrollment and early college programs.
  • The U.S. Department of Education should provide grant funding to prepare more high school educators who are qualified to teach advanced courses.
  • The U.S. Department of Education should collect, conduct, and disseminate research on the distribution of and placement in advanced courses.
  • The U.S. Department of Education should provide guidance to states and local education agencies (LEAs) to ensure that students of color, English learners, students with disabilities, and students from families with lower incomes have access to advanced courses and improve student outcomes.

Here’s what state government can do:

  • State legislatures should fund programs that address barriers to enrollment and improve student outcomes in advanced courses, including dual enrollment and early college programs.
  • State legislatures should fund and provide greater access to scholarships that prepare educators to teach advanced courses.
  • State legislatures should require and support districts to expand eligibility for advanced courses.
  • State education agencies (SEAs) should collect, conduct, and disseminate research on the distribution of and placement in advanced courses.

Here’s what institutional leaders can do:

  • Higher education institutions should offer greater access to scholarships that prepare educators to teach advanced courses.
  • P-12 systems should:
    • Offer a greater selection of advanced courses and dual enrollment options.
    • Expand enrollment in advanced programs and launch new courses.
    • Implement automatic enrollment and universal screening for advanced courses and programs.
    • Purchase curriculum and materials for advanced courses.
    • Cover course and exam fees for students from families with lower incomes.
    • Offer greater access to tutoring for students from families with lower incomes.
    • Increase the hiring of educators to teach advanced courses.

Policymakers should ensure that all students who could benefit from advanced courses, regardless of their financial resources, are identified and have the opportunity to participate in programs such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual enrollment. Students of color who have access to advanced programs, with teachers who receive training and resources, are more engaged in school and can thrive alongside their peers.[ii] However, an estimated 225,000 Black and Latino students are missing out on participating in advanced courses that they should have access to while in high school.[iii]

[i]As described in the note provided in the introduction of this resource, DEIA programs and race-conscious policies generally vary in their terms and scope; most programs and services, as well as the recommendations offered in this document, are lawful under federal statutory and constitutional laws. Readers are encouraged to consult with their attorneys for legal advice to understand the rights and obligations of students, faculty, administrators, and greater society.

[ii]See Chapter 5 in Marilyn E. Strutchens and Judith Reed Quander, eds., Focus in High School Mathematics: Fostering Reasoning and Sense Making for All Students (Reston, VA: NCTM, 2011); see Chapter 6 in William Tate, Karen King, Celia Rousseau Anderson, Disrupting Tradition: Research and Practice Pathways in Mathematics Education (Reston, VA: NCTM, 2011).

[iii]Patrick, Kayla; Rose Socol, Allison; & Morgan, Ivy. “Inequities in Advanced Coursework,” The Education Trust, January 9, 2020. https://edtrust.org/resource/inequities-in-advanced-coursework/.