In an effort to close the equity gap among students in Texas K-12 schools, a new law has been rolling out statewide since May of 2023 year that will help more Black and Latino students enroll in advanced-placement (AP) math classes.
The “opt-in” law will automatically enroll high-testing students in advanced math classes, where they will have the opportunity to opt out if needed or wanted, instead of having to be placed based on parent intervention or teacher recommendation. This is an effort to combat implicit biases educators may have, as well as help parents who may not even know these classes are an option for their children.
The law arises from data showing stark differences between the amount of white and Asian students versus the amount of Black and Latino students taking honors or advanced math courses, an issue that was especially prevalent among Central Texas school districts.1 In fact, the “opt-in” model was based on a policy created by seven school districts in Central Texas.
The gap was revealed through a 2018 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which also revealed that, when compared to white and Asian students, Black and Latino students were less likely to attend schools that offered advanced math classes.2
More research by the E3 Alliance, an Austin-based education collaborative, showed that students of color were “routinely left out” of these advanced math classes, whether or not they earned high test scores.3
These disparities were reflected through standardized testing results and continued to be seen throughout the STEM fields. The average math SAT scores for Black and Latino students were significantly lower than their white and Asian peers, who also overrepresented college graduates earning STEM-related degrees.
Moreover, Latino workers only represented eight percent of the STEM workforce, while Black workers represented nine percent. White workers make up two-thirds of the field, while Asian workers make up 13 percent compared to their six percent of total employment across all occupations.4
Since the law has gone into effect, the enrollment of Black and Latino students in advanced math classes has skyrocketed. In Dallas, school districts saw Latino enrollment shoot up to 60 percent and Black enrollment rose to 43 percent.
Still, there is worry that students of color will continue to be left out of advanced classes for economic reasons. While there is no charge to enroll in an AP course, the average AP test costs $97. Moreover, most courses require textbooks that cost $60 on average.
AP classes are often needed for many students who aspire to go to college, as the classes are often weighted higher in a student’s GPA. This results in higher GPAs and class ranks, which can be the make-or-break of a student’s college application.
ENDNOTES
2 https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2019/2019038.pdf.
3 https://apnews.com/article/school-advanced-math-track-a3daa1e0f82add8f1035e1dd1e4147ad.