Inequitable Opportunity to Learn: Access to Advanced Mathematics and Science Courses

Learning Policy Institute. 1530 Page Mill Road Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Tel: 650-332-9797; e-mail: info@learningpolicyinstitute.org; Web site: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org

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53

Equal Education; Access to Education; Advanced Courses; High School Students; Algebra; Calculus; Chemistry; Physics; Mathematics Education; Science Education; Educational Policy; Educational Opportunities; Public Agencies; Civil Rights; Educational Resources; Student Experience; Race; Ethnicity; Student Characteristics; Disproportionate Representation; Minority Group Students; Low Income Students; Institutional Characteristics; College Preparation; Career Development; Social Differences; Enrollment Trends

"Inequitable Opportunity to Learn: Access to Advanced Mathematics and Science Courses" is the second in a series of Learning Policy Institute reports analyzing data primarily from the U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). This report uses the most recent CRDC data from 2017-18. The CRDC includes data on a variety of information sources pertaining to school resources and student experiences, including student access to advanced courses in mathematics and science. These data are reported overall and disaggregated, including by race/ethnicity. They shed light on the extent to which inequities in opportunities to learn exist at the school level--and how these differentials produce disparities at the state and national levels. To examine historically underserved students' access to advanced courses, this report documents the extent to which high schools serving large percentages of students of color and students from low-income families offer Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics courses. The report also compares these course offerings to those at schools with lower percentages of these students. This analysis, which includes national and state information, demonstrates that schools with high proportions of students of color and students from low-income families are less likely to offer the advanced mathematics and science courses needed to prepare for a college and career path. The report concludes with policy recommendations for closing achievement gaps in advanced mathematics and science course offerings. [For "Inequitable Opportunity to Learn: Student Access to Certified and Experienced Teachers," see ED603398. For "Pushed Out: Trends and Disparities in Out-of-School Suspension," see ED626581.]

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2023

ED626612