This series of work highlights EdTrust’s efforts in ensuring that Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds have access to advanced coursework, because research shows that when they do have access, they thrive.
December 07, 2023 by EdTrust 
Advanced coursework opportunities can place students on the path toward college and career success. However, Black and Latino students across the country are often denied access to gifted and talented programs in elementary school and Algebra I in middle school. Then, in high school, Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds are not given the opportunities to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or dual-enrollment programs, which are key in setting students up for success in college and careers. They are also shut out from taking advanced math and STEM courses, limiting their ability to achieve excellence and live the life of their choosing.
This series of work highlights EdTrust’s efforts in ensuring that Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds have access to advanced coursework, because research shows that when they do have access, they thrive. Here, we offer analyses of the data and recommendations for policymakers and education leaders at the federal, state, and school level on how to open the doors of opportunity for underserved students.
Increasing access to advanced coursework requires commitment from state leaders to collect and analyze disaggregated participation and outcomes data and targeted, data-informed efforts to develop policies that increase access to, and success in, high-quality advanced coursework.
Listed here are several state briefs designed to help advocates, educators, and policymakers compare best practices and make informed decisions at the state level.
The data in this tool examines whether Black and Latino students are fairly represented in advanced courses, in each state, at three key points in their schooling — gifted and talented in elementary school, algebra in eighth grade, and Advanced Placement in high school.
