Increasing Access to Advanced High-School Courses

 (Originally titled “Opening the Door to Advanced Classes”) 

             In this Educational Leadership article, Nancy Watkins (California State University/ Fullerton) says that with the honors, AP, IB, and other advanced courses students often take to move on to higher education, not all doors are open. “Some are locked,” she says. “some are stuck. Some are reserved for certain people. Some doors are hidden, and some are guarded.” A disproportionate number of low-income students and students of color don’t take these courses, and schools need to examine incentives and barriers that limit opportunities. 

            Watkins describes the persistent efforts of a former colleague who persuaded her high school to offer new courses and open college-track offerings to English learners who had previously been assigned to lower tracks. Over several years, more and more students enrolled in these building block courses, and in 2018, 94 percent passed the AP Spanish Language exam; the following year 96 percent passed. In 2019-20, native Spanish speakers were able to directly enroll in heterogeneous advanced Spanish classes. 

            Drawing on this experience, Watkins has the following recommendations for opening doors for marginalized students: 

• Reduce barriers for innovation and transformation by evaluating the policies and attitudes that inhibit change. “Often decisions are made by site or district administrators about who gets what, when, and how,” says Watkins, “and these choices exclude the voices of people on the margins.” Schools might create forums to listen to stakeholders who have ideas on addressing inequities in course enrollment. 
• Provide resources and teacher training for advanced curriculum offerings. Often this involves creating new courses that bridge knowledge and skill gaps. 
• Support students with tutors and fee waivers in preparation for college exams. Information and encouragement are vital in both areas. 
• Evaluate student language proficiency classifications related to language fluency and tracked courses to avoid arbitrary course enrollment. The segregation of English learners in low-level courses may be the result of early assessments that don’t reflect students’ current language proficiency. 
• Intentionally develop the master schedule to reflect opportunities for all students. Schedules reflect priorities and values, says Watkins: “Beyond putting the puzzle pieces together, incorporate analysis and reflection on the equity gaps evident in the master schedule.” 
• Remove prerequisites for enrolling in honors and advanced courses. Barring students from enrolling based on previous coursework or grades prevents them from considering courses, in consultation with their counselors, teachers, and families, that will interest and challenge them.
• Help families understand the importance of advanced courses to college and career readiness. Information sessions need to be offered in multiple languages. 

 “Opening the Door to Advanced Courses” by Nancy Watkins in Educational Leadership, February 2022 (Vol. 79, #5, pp. 60-65); Watkins can be reached at nwatkins@fullerton.edu.

Please Note: This summary is reprinted with permission from issue #923 of The Marshall Memo, an excellent resource for educators.