THE RESEARCH QUESTION

The Research Question Name Institutional Affiliate The Research Question Research Problem Lower proportion of African American students in AP courses than white students Purpose The research study seeks to explore the under-representation of African American students in AP courses compared to their White peers highlighting the underlying factors contributing to the racial disparity in the AP program to inform effective interventional measures. Literature Review Preparation for college education requires proper training and preparation of high school students to meet the academic credential necessary for pursuing preferred fields of study across the diverse higher learning institutions in the United States. The Advanced Placement program (AP) is a government-led initiative that offers an effective platform for students to develop their critical thinking skills, ability to construct arguments, and develop multifaceted approaches to issues in preparation for college or higher learning education CITATION Col22 \l 1033 (College Board, 2022). The program builds on the premise of providing equitable access to all high school students who are academically prepared and willing to prove to college admissions officers that they are ready for college studies. However, attempts to provide equitable access to the different courses offered are characteristic of racial and ethnic disparities CITATION Ewi23 \l 1033 (Ewing, 2023). According to Ewing (2023) achievements in the AP Exams exhibit racial gaps, with the African American and Hispanic students counterparts achieving lower scores than their White and Asian counterparts. Siegel-Hawley (2021) also reiterates an extensive racial and ethnic gap in AP course enrollment in a research study conducted in Virginia High Scool. Among the key findings in the research study is that Black and Latinx students are underrepresented in the number and share of students enrolled in one or more AP courses. Siegel-Hawley (2021) further highlights economic disadvanatage as key factor contributing to disparities in students' AP courses enrollment. Kim-Christian & McDermott (2022) posit that persistent inequities in taking the AP exams is perpetuates the racial disparities in AP courses enrollment. They find that African American and Hispanic students are less likely to take the AP exam than their Wite and Asian peers. Owen (2024) also find that White and Asian students from non-econmically disadvantaged families are more likely to enroll in the additional AP courses than their African American and Hispanic peers and thus widening the racial gap in the taking of AP courses. He proposes introduction of additioal incentives for the disadvantaged students in the attempt to address the disparities. Souto-Maior & Shroff (2024) dispute the assumption that differences in academic preparedness between the African American students and the White students accounts for the lower representation of African American students in AP mathematics compared to the White students. Lackey & Lowery (2020) introduce a gender construct into the AP courses enrollment among the African American students posing that the formal and informal practices embraced in the AP criteria and course enrollment contribute t...