Compared performance of Project Advance biology students (N=60) with Advanced Placement (AP) candidates (N=15,947) nationally on College Entrance Examination Board AP biology test. The research, conducted to determine comparability of the program as valid measures of academic achievement, determined that Project Advance students scored above the…

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program allows high school students to learn subjects at a college level of difficulty. Students may receive college credit if they earn a high enough score on the AP examination typically taken at the end of an AP course. This report describes the participation and achievement of AP students in the Wake County Public…

A gap exists between the degree to which African Americans embrace the cultural value of higher education attainment (Butchart, 1988; Du Bois, 1935; Mickelson & Greene, 2006; Washington, 1900; Woodson, 1919) and the reality of their unsatisfactory undergraduate degree attainment at traditional white institutions (TWIs) (Allen, 1992; Allen,…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) House Passes FY 2011 Spending Bill: Bill Cuts U.S. Department of Education Funding by $5 Billion; Title I, School…

Data-driven decision-making, targeted staff development, collaborative leadership, and the sheer will of committed staff members have launched Wheaton High School on a promising trajectory. Located in Montgomery County, Maryland, a predominately affluent area that has more than 20 high schools, Wheaton has always received attention, but…

The Urban Academies of Broward County (UABC) was conceived and implemented as a collaborative teacher preparation model designed to develop, hire, and retain high-performing and motivated educators in predominantly poor minority schools. The program targets high school students, college students majoring in education, and practicing teachers.…

This study examines perspectives of educators on the advanced placement opportunity gap for African American students. Using interviews with 11 educators from 10 high schools, we explored their perceptions regarding the impact of a local academic achievement program on the enrollment of African American students in honors and advanced placement…

This paper presents survey data concerning the procedure for determining Class Rank and Valedictorian status at 232 of the 500 largest public high school districts in the United States. These data are analyzed to consider whether or not districts are currently employing methodologies that provide students with appropriate incentives and provide…

In an effort to answer the "Educational Call to Arms", our national public schools have turned to Advanced Placement (AP) courses as the predominate vehicle used to address the lack of academic rigor in our public high schools. Advanced Placement is believed by many to provide students with the rigor and work ethic necessary to…

In this article, the Advanced Placement (AP) Program of the College Board is described. It discusses the quality and standards for AP classes and examines the success of AP students, AP Scholar Awards, and resources for information on the AP program. A list of AP subjects and examinations is provided. (Contains references.) (CR)

Girls and women continue to be underrepresented in high school Advanced Placement computer science courses, undergraduate and graduate computer science programs at colleges and universities, and engineering programs and related careers. This is not to suggest that public schools train students to fulfill specific job needs, yet it is evident that…

[Slides] presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in 2009. This study investigated the presence of a general rise in high school grades without a corresponding rise in SAT scores, as well as different grading criteria between schools, as shown by differential relationships between AP course grades and exam scores. These…

Outcomes of an Advanced Placement Program that has been implemented in 15 southern states to improve student achievement are examined in this report. The program gives students the opportunity to take college-level courses for college credit, dependent upon passing the Advanced Placement Examination. Following a description of the program and its…

This report examined Advanced Placement (AP) test results for the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) and a group of comparable districts that participate in the Educational Benchmarking Network (EBN). Students in WCPSS showed higher performance on AP examinations than students in North Carolina, the South, and all test-takers worldwide.…

This report presents Advanced Placement (AP) Examination results for the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, in comparison with other large school systems, the state of North Carolina, the southern United States, and the entire United States. Participation of WCPSS students in AP testing has increased about 1% annually from…