Hispanic students participate in advanced programming at a much lower rate than their White peers. Although Advanced Placement (AP) can have a positive impact on future academic success and attainment of long-term goals, limited research has investigated factors that contribute to AP success for gifted Hispanic students. This study examined…

This report examines the effects of taking math in 12th grade on several academic outcomes, including high school grade point average, A-G course completion, college enrollment, and college persistence. We also investigate whether particular types of math courses (for example, Calculus or Statistics) are especially beneficial for students'…

This report examines the impact of taking a math course in twelfth grade on L.A. Unified students' science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) college course taking and academic achievement. We also investigate whether particular types of math courses (for example, Calculus or Statistics) are especially beneficial for students' postsecondary…

Earning college credit in high school matters to students and parents. Students who earn college credits by taking a college-level course while in high school are more likely to enter college and succeed. Through these experiences, students become familiar with college expectations, academic behaviors, and habits of mind; get a head start on…

Completing Advanced Placement (AP) coursework is an important part of the selective college admissions process, and access to AP coursework can be viewed as a measure of equal opportunity. Relatively little research has fully examined how access to AP coursework is mediated by school characteristics. Rural schools are at a particular disadvantage…

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program was developed to increase the number of secondary students who participate in rigorous academic courses, to accelerate student learning, and to improve student performance. The AVID program in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) targets students who (1) are in the academic…

Massachusetts passed its first charter school law in 1993. Since then, the cap on the number of these public schools has been raised several times: in 1997, 2000, and 2010. Today, the state educates 40,200 students in 78 charter schools, and 32,600 students are on wait lists. This November, Bay State residents will vote by referendum, via Ballot…

Counter to narratives of persistently failed school reform, we argue that reforms sometimes succeed and seek to understand why. Drawing on examples from the founding of public schools to the present, we find that successful system-wide reforms addressed problems that teachers thought they had by being consistent with prevailing norms and values,…

This study was a cooperative effort of the Texas-ACT College Success Research Consortium, a research partnership between ACT and the following Texas four-year postsecondary institutions: (1) The University of Texas at Austin; (2) Texas A&M University at College Station; (3) Texas A&M University at Commerce; and (4) University of Texas--Pan…

Despite all intentions in the course of the Bologna Process and decades of investment into improving the social dimension, results in many national and international studies show that inequity remains stubbornly persistent, and that inequity based on socio-economic status, parental education, gender, country-of-origin, rural background and more…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states lead the nation in student participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. The region also continued to match the nation in the success rates of high school students on AP exams in 2008. SREB's "Challenge to Lead" Goals for Education recognize the…

This paper outlines current student-level indicators at the high school and middle school levels that predict college success. In this bulletin, indicators are divided into three categories: assessment scores (e.g., SAT® exam scores), transcript attributes (e.g., course rigor), and additional indicators (e.g., attendance) that impact achievement.

This study describes the collaboration among a school counselor, a school counselor intern, an Advanced Placement Psychology teacher, and a counselor educator to improve African-American access to Advanced Placement (AP) coursework and increase success on the AP Psychology national examination. The team initiated a process that recruited African…

This report presents research findings for Advanced Placement (AP) student success at the college level. Strong AP programs in high schools, coupled with strong AP policies at colleges, support many positive outcomes for students. Multiple research studies have confirmed that AP students who earn credit and advanced placement for the corresponding…

North Carolina has embarked on an ambitious effort to improve its public schools. Career-and college-ready standards, high-quality assessments, and advanced technology are all part of this effort, and each plays an important role. No part of students' educational experience matters more than the teachers who facilitate their learning. North…