The purpose of this case study was to determine the perceived alignment of standards and practices that are prescribed by the International Baccalaureate Organization to the Coherence Framework which was developed by researchers Michael Fullan and Joanne Quinn. The field setting was a high needs and low wealth school district that is identified as…

This dissertation was designed to provide positive perspectives regarding recruitment and retention practices in an urban school district. Recruiting and retaining African American teachers for Advanced Placement (AP) courses is a vital educational issue in the U. S. The number of African American teachers teaching AP courses was low.A…

Opportunity gaps between minority and white students and between genders has thus far prevented the concept of an equitable school with equitable opportunities. One important measure of educational equity is participation in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. If both the overall availability of AP courses and achievement within AP courses are…

The purpose of this study was to learn more about the experiences and perceptions of African American, Latinx, and South Asian American girls of color in academically driven programs in an urban high school. The literature is clear that girls of color are underrepresented in International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), and Dual…

The problem investigated in this study focused on continued underrepresentation of African-American students taking Advanced Placement courses as compared to their peers. The purpose of the qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand how students perceived their experiences and factors that contributed to the lack of African American…

Students in the United States face an increasingly competitive college admissions process. High school seniors must prove themselves capable of university level work. The standard for evidencing such capacity is through enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Upon completion of the AP course students sit for the corresponding national exam.…

The purpose of this case study was to examine policies and procedures used by high school leaders that positively impact the access and participation of African American students in Advanced Placement courses. The research targeted the chronic and persistent problem of underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in secondary school Advanced Placement…

International Baccalaureate (IB) is an organization originally developed in 1968 to provide a high-quality, consistent curriculum across international schools. In the intervening years, it has grown to have a broader reach and impact, offering four curricular programs that serve over one million students among 4500 schools within six continents.…

For over 40 years, an academic achievement gap has separated the Hispanic and White students in public schools on both national- and state-level standardized tests. The demographics in America have shown an increase in the Hispanic population in many states, especially Texas. This increase, which included the addition of many Hispanic families…

In a school district with over 60% of the school population African American and Hispanic, it would seem judicious to believe the gifted, talented, and high ability programming would similarly represent these populations. Yet, based on the findings of this study, the representation of African American and Hispanic students in these programs is…

AP social studies courses are viewed as beacons for rigorous and demanding coursework in secondary classroom settings. Recent curricular revisions and enrollment initiatives made by the College Board have led to further discourse concerning instructional and curricular tensions that still need to be addressed. Moreover, reform made in AP social…

A set of ten students from an urban high school were interviewed regarding experiences in Advanced Placement (AP) and non-Advanced Placement courses in high school. Those participants who took an AP Calculus course described opportunities during high school where cultural capital and social capital lead to a successful experience in college. Those…

"I think what I learned in the IB [International Baccalaureate] program...well, in a way I felt like--have you read Great Expectations? When Pip gets the stipend from the mysterious person and he's walking out and the clouds are lifting up and he can see all the possibilities--that's how I felt with the IB program." -Student reflection…

The study was used to develop an understanding of the nature of a creative learning experience that incorporated the foundational elements of Reggio Emilia, place-based education, and experience design. The study took place in an urban high school with eight students in an advanced placement art class. The qualitative research project revolved…

While Advanced Placement (AP) programs have been traditionally targeted toward academically prepared students, some secondary administrators make AP courses accessible to all students in order to support college readiness. The purpose of the present study is to explore how the AP program is being implemented in an urban school where many students…