Advanced Placement Enrollment

Advanced Placement Enrollment measures the share of students who are enrolled in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses (AP/IB) at public and charter schools in the St. Louis region. In 2015, there were 100,110 “eligible” students, or students enrolled in schools where these courses were available. Of these students, 15,880 (about 16%) took AP/IB coursework that year.

Advanced Placement Indicator Scores

City of
St. Louis

40

St. Louis
County

36

St. Charles
County

39

St. Clair
County

38

Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, U.S. Department of Education, 2015

What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Advanced Placement Enrollment, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black and white students are equally likely to be enrolled in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

White students in the region are nearly 2.5 times as likely as black students to be enrolled in AP/IB courses. In the City of St. Louis, about 29.4% of white students are enrolled in AP/IB courses, compared to 14% of black students. The disparity in St. Charles County is similar, with 22.4% of white students enrolled and 10.2% of black students enrolled. In St. Clair County, white students are almost 2.5 times more likely to be enrolled in AP/IB courses than black students (20.5% relative to 8.7%). In St. Louis County, the disparity between white and black students is about nearly three times as likely (30.6% relative to 11.3%).

If access were equitable, the number of black students enrolled in AP/IB courses would increase by:

801 in City of St. Louis,
175 in St. Charles County,
502 in St. Clair County, and
2,526 in St. Louis County.

Why Does AP Enrollment Matter?

Advanced coursework can engage students in more challenging curriculum, prepare students for success in higher education, and interest them in rewarding careers, particularly in STEM. The most successful students in AP courses (those that score above a 3 on a 5 point scale) can earn college credits. Students who enter college with six or more credits are more likely to earn a degree.

WHICH CALLS TO ACTION FROM THE FERGUSON COMMISSION REPORT ARE LINKED WITH THIS INDICATOR?

One of the Ferguson Commission’s priority areas is providing rigorous primary and secondary education. To achieve that goal, the Commission’s call to action was to:

Ensure Equitable Access to Rigorous High School Courses

Questions for Further Investigation:

Why is there a racial disparity in Advanced Placement Enrollment?
What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Advanced Placement Enrollment?
What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Advanced Placement Enrollment?

How can I learn more about this issue?

Nationally, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office on Civil Rights has compiled reports on this issue for the country as a whole, and the College Board has several dedicated initiatives to increase access to AP enrollment for underrepresented students. The Education Trust, a national think tank examining issues in education, has explored the topic of access to Advanced Placement, publishing reports on access gaps in AP enrollment and success stories on how this issue is being handled.

Advanced Placement Enrollment Data

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses at schools where offered

	All	White	Black	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
Students Enrolled in AP Classes	1,148	280	724
Students Enrolled at Schools that Offer AP Classes	6,687	952	5,186
Percent of Eligible Students Enrolled in AP	17.20%	29.40%	14.00%	2.107 to 1	40

Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses at schools where offered

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
Students Enrolled in AP Classes	9,601	1,474	6,765
Students Enrolled at Schools that Offer AP Classes	39,539	13,092	22,143
Percent of Eligible Students Enrolled in AP	24.30%	11.30%	30.60%	2.707 to 1	36

Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses at schools where offered

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
Students Enrolled in AP Classes	3,820	147	3,379
Students Enrolled at Schools that Offer AP Classes	18,877	1,438	15,085
Percent of Eligible Students Enrolled in AP	20.20%	10.20%	22.40%	2.196 to 1	39

Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses at schools where offered

	All	Black	White	Disparity Ratio	Equity Score
Students Enrolled in AP Classes	1,311	371	805
Students Enrolled at Schools that Offer AP Classes	8,969	4,254	3,921
Percent of Eligible Students Enrolled in AP	14.60%	8.70%	20.50%	2.356 to 1	38

Data Source: Civil Rights Data Collection, 2015

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