Written by: Reagan Flowers, Ph.D.
A new study shows that nearly 225,000 Black and Latino students are missing from AP courses they should have access to in high school. In fact, less than 2% of STEM-interested and college-aspiring Black and Latino students are enrolled in AP Biology. Only 3% of these students enroll in AP STEM courses overall.
Why This is Happening
Unsurprisingly, lack of enrollment of low-income Black and Latino students in these classes can be traced to the same systemic problems that lead to learning gaps and disengagement.
These factors are born out of outdated, longstanding systems that rely on assumptions about intelligence and arbitrary measures of readiness like GPA or test scores. This often leads to discrimination and overlooking students who may be interested and/or ready in advanced courses.
Another cause is inequities that place from early grades all the way through high school. In many cases, students of color do not receive the same opportunities to enroll in advanced STEM courses as early elementary school. They are simply then not prepared to jump into advanced courses in high school. If they have been lucky enough to receive a strong STEM footing earlier on, they may find themselves in high schools with fewer seats in advanced courses, due to funding inequities.
Finally, these students are finding themselves in environments where their interest in STEM, and in moving on to college, are not nurtured. Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds have clearly demonstrated interest, with an average of roughly 40% of the Black and Latino students surveyed saying they aspire to go to college and name STEM subjects as their favorites.
Creating Better Environments for Students of Color
To increase enrollment of students of color in AP STEM courses, leaders must create positive school climates where all students feel safe and have a sense of belonging. Educators must identify their biases and work to eliminate them, while helping students of color identify opportunities and how to remove any barriers or navigate disparities.
In particular, encouraging enthusiasm for college makes a big difference. The research supports this:
- Students are 105% more likely to take an AP class when they aspire to go to college
- Students who aspire to go to college are 16% more likely to take an AP class when they are given adequate information on how to enroll in those courses.
- Students who aspire to go to college are 11% more likely to take an AP class when they feel like they belong in the class
At a higher level, state, district, and school leaders need to adopt and implement policies that remove barriers that prevent Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds from accessing AP courses.
Students need a positive school climate that includes positive relationships among and between staff and students, a safe environment where students feel they belong, and where they receive equitable support to meet high expectations. Diversity and racial representation in school faculty and staff also helps these students feel more included and encouraged.
All of us can help support these efforts by holding high standards for the students of color in our lives, and motivating and encouraging them toward specific goals like college or a STEM career. Here at C-STEM, we are lucky to have a family of supporters to help us do this. Together, we dream bigger each year to move the needle for improving opportunities for underrepresented students.
