Behind the Advanced Placement (AP) Curtain: Disproportionality in Hispanic AP Exam Completion

Abstract

While many researchers are well-versed in AP gaps and equity, one area in particular impacts Hispanic students and remains underexplored: the AP completion gap. In this study, AP completion is analyzed by two factors: taking the AP exam and passing the AP with a score of 3 or higher. Through a secondary data analysis of the Civil Rights Data Collection [CRDC] (2017) and College Board (2017) data, this study demonstrated disproportionality in taking the exam between Hispanic students and Asian students in suburban schools. Additionally, there was also a statistically significant difference in Hispanic pass and fail scores by type of exam compared to Asian and White students. These findings reveal the need to evaluate AP exam policy, especially in regard to success completion of AP coursework.