Addressing The Black-White AP Participation Gap: An Improvement Science Project

Author

Gales ScroggsFollow

Date of Award

8-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Systems Improvement Science

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford

Committee Member

Dr. Edwin Nii Bonney

Committee Member

Dr. Alex E. Chisholm

Committee Member

Dr. Sherry Hoyle

Abstract

Advanced Placement (AP) courses have become an essential preparation for college, and the benefits of AP participation for students are plentiful. AP courses allow students to earn higher grade point averages in high school, stand out in the college admissions process, and increase their likelihood of graduating college with a degree in four years. The benefits experienced by Black AP students may be even more significant. However, Black students have lagged behind their White peers in AP enrollment since the inception of the AP program. This study examined the influence of targeted, counselor-led academic advisement on the AP enrollment of rising Black 10^th-grade students at three high schools in a large suburban school district in South Carolina. I aimed to increase enrollment of Black 10^th-grade students from 2022 levels by 5.8% in 2025 by applying an intervention of consistent advisement protocols encouraging AP enrollment. Using a mixed methods approach, I collected quantitative data on pre- and post-treatment AP enrollment trends disaggregated by ethnicity and qualitative data collected through focus groups with rising Black 10^th-grade students who participated in the advisement. The counselor-led advisement protocols increased Black AP enrollment but did not reduce the longstanding Black-White AP participation gap. Additionally, my study revealed that the decision to take an AP course was not entirely academic. Black AP students contend with issues of racial connectedness, isolation, and otheredness, which can affect their desire to take AP courses. These findings reflect a need for schools and districts to continue to promote Black AP participation through counselor-led academic advisement and address the social dynamics within the school environment that may deter Black AP enrollment.

Recommended Citation

Scroggs, Gales, "Addressing The Black-White AP Participation Gap: An Improvement Science Project" (2024). All Dissertations. 3728.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3728