For more than 70 years, Advanced Placement® (AP) courses have been a gateway to college readiness and academic confidence, but many capable students nationwide are still out of the loop. With strategic leadership and coordinated efforts, district administrators can change that trajectory and expand AP access and student outcomes.
Why Is Increasing AP Participation Important?
Increasing AP participation district-wide speaks more than numbers. Students develop the study habits, confidence, and academic resilience that carry them into higher education and beyond. Stronger AP participation rates for schools reflect a culture of excellence, equity, and opportunity.
Benefits of Higher AP Participation for Students and Schools
Students who participate in AP courses unlock valuable opportunities early in their academic journeys. With a high exam score, they can earn college credit and save hundreds — even thousands — on tuition and fees. Beyond that, they can also:
- Impress college admissions officers with educational dedication1
- Develop healthy study habits and time management skills1
- Increase GPAs, as AP courses are often weighted more heavily1
- Transition more easily to rigorous college-level work2
- Improve critical thinking skills for both academic and professional pursuits2
When students reap the benefits of taking one or more AP courses, school districts receive academic distinction and recognition, attract talent, and enhance school accountability metrics.3
Common Barriers to AP Participation
Many students (over 1.2 million in 20243) have taken AP courses, but others continue to face significant barriers to enjoying the perks of these programs. Common hurdles include:
- Equity gaps in course availability and enrollment, particularly in marginalized groups4
- Lack of student awareness or confidence, especially among first-generation learners5
- Inflexible scheduling and staffing limitations6
- Perceptions of AP as an opportunity exclusive to top-performing students7
- Inconsistent materials, teacher training, and support9
These obstacles, often systemic, underscore the importance of continuously evaluating AP programs. Administrators who prioritize equity, instill student confidence, and provide ongoing training for educators can make a lasting impact on their districts' AP landscape.
Assessing Your District's Current AP Health
Understanding the barriers to AP participation is the first step. To get an even better idea of the current health of their programs, district leaders can examine the numbers. Doing so identifies performance trends and student demographics and clarifies goals for improvement.
Collecting and Analyzing Participation Data
Growing AP enrollment requires a clear picture of where each district stands. Effective data collection includes AP enrollment by campus, subject, grade level, and student subgroup. It also involves exam performance trends and longitudinal data to track progress.10
The aim is to look beyond surface-level metrics to identify which students are missing from AP classrooms.
Identifying Equity Gaps and Underrepresented Groups
What does equity mean in the AP classroom? Beyond simply offering courses, it's about ensuring access and support for all students with academic potential. Tools such as AP Potential from College Board® can help districts identify students with a strong chance of success in AP, based on PSAT/NMSQT® scores and other indicators.
Using this data proactively allows administrators to target outreach to underrepresented groups, set campus- or district-wide enrollment goals, and prioritize support in crucial areas.11
AP Potential can help identify students suitable for AP automatic enrollment, based on their performance in prerequisite classes or on standardized tests.
Effective Strategies to Increase AP Participation District-Wide
Once district leaders have identified areas of opportunity, they can develop an action plan. Those who successfully expand AP opportunities tend to focus on awareness, teacher and counselor empowerment, and course availability — all while supporting students who take on these new challenges.
Enhancing Awareness and Outreach Programs
While many don't pursue AP simply because they don't know the opportunity exists, others may have misgivings about the programs and what they entail. To boost awareness and understanding, districts can use proven methods.
By thoughtfully integrating these initiatives, district administrators can inform, excite, and inspire students and their families.
Building Teacher and Counselor Capacity
Teachers and counselors are the front line of AP expansion, and they're best supported when equipped with resources for professional development.
Achieving AP Access for All workshops allow teachers and administrators to identify tools, discuss strategies, and refine policies to increase district-wide access to AP.8
AP leadership teams are committees of educators and administrators. Rather than relying on the practices of a single dynamic AP teacher, the members of these groups work together to maintain policy continuity, review data, and improve access to AP classes.3
High-quality instructional materials like those offered by UWorld provide rigorous content, save time and energy, measure test readiness, and improve student outcomes.
District administrators who supply these resources help educators share best practices to motivate students and break AP stigmas (e.g., “AP is only for a select few”), review AP Potential data, and strategize how to best support underrepresented students.
3 Ways to Expand AP Course Offerings and Support
Students can't enroll in AP if courses are unavailable or inaccessible. These 3 strategies have been shown to increase reachability and garner student interest:
- Offering AP courses that invite diverse students, such as AP Computer Science Principles, AP Seminar, AP African American Studies, or AP Precalculus7
- Allowing virtual instruction of AP courses across campuses14
- Providing support systems like tutoring, Saturday sessions, or study groups, especially for first-time AP students4
By adjusting AP programs to be more inclusive and convenient, district administrators can move closer to far-reaching improvements.
Supporting Students for Success in AP Courses
Getting students to sign up for AP is one milestone. An even greater one is helping them thrive once they're enrolled. District leaders can set students up for success by investing in early preparation, targeted interventions, and resources that reduce the stress of tackling college-level material while still in high school.
Academic Preparation and Prerequisite Support
Raising AP participation is an attainable goal when students feel academically supported. Effective districts can invest in pre-AP courses, which are typically offered in grades 9 or 10 and sometimes in middle school. These courses allow students to engage with AP-level content and gain skills for AP success, such as close reading, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking.
Summer bridge or boot camp programs are also valuable, as they help incoming AP students close knowledge gaps between fundamental and AP courses.
The goal is to help students build enough confidence and competence to enter the AP classroom prepared to excel.15
Monitoring Progress and Celebrating Success
A healthy AP program measures and celebrates growth at every level. Both monitoring and recognizing progress district-wide play key roles in sustaining AP momentum.
- Track yearly participation, performance, and equity indicators. Reveal equity gaps by subgroup (e.g., race, income, first-generation status) with AP Data and Research reports and AP Potential tools.1011
- Recognize schools and teachers who show growth or innovation. This can include awards, shoutouts at board meetings, or features in newsletters and social media.7
- Celebrate student milestones, no matter how small. This can include issuing award certificates or hosting family recognition nights.16
While data tracking and celebrations reveal the numbers, they also create a sense of culture and engagement. A recognition-rich environment communicates to students and schools that AP success matters.
A Commitment to AP Excellence
Improving AP participation district-wide is not a quick fix but a strategic, ongoing commitment to equity, excellence, and student opportunity. It requires a multifaceted approach that includes data analysis, enhancing awareness, and intentional support for educators and students.
An internal data review and planning session is a strong starting point. District leaders will see a clear visualization of their schools' AP performance, helping them take the next step toward ensuring that more students walk through the doors of the AP classroom and thrive when the bell rings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What resources support students in AP courses?
Students benefit from academic supports such as tutoring, structured study groups, and tools like UWorld’s courses for AP, which offer AP-level practice and targeted feedback.
What are the common challenges to AP participation, and how can they be overcome?
Challenges include a lack of awareness, limited course offerings, and misconceptions about AP difficulty. Districts can overcome these with targeted outreach, flexible scheduling, virtual course options, and educator training emphasizing student potential over past performance. See Common Barriers to AP Participation in Districts and 3 Ways to Expand AP Course Offerings and Support.
How can teachers help encourage more students to take AP classes?
Teachers can encourage students by reinforcing the benefits, rewarding exceptional learners, and fostering a classroom culture that welcomes risk and resilience.
How can administrators track the success of their AP participation initiatives?
Administrators can use College Board’s AP Data and Research reports and AP Potential tools to monitor yearly participation rates, performance trends, and subgroup equity gaps. See Assessing Your District’s Current AP Health and Monitoring Progress and Celebrating Success.
What professional development opportunities best support AP teachers?
Professional development focusing on equitable student recruitment, instructional strategies for diverse learners, and collaboration across schools is especially effective. Programs like College Board Educator Ambassadors and AP leadership teams give teachers access to training, peer networks, and shared best practices. Additionally, AP Summer Institutes provide in-depth training on AP course and exam structure, effective teaching strategies, and how to leverage available resources. See Building Teacher and Counselor Capacity.
References
- National Society of High School Scholars. (2024, January 31). Benefits of taking AP classes in high school. NSHSS. https://www.nshss.org/resources/blog/blog-posts/benefits-of-taking-ap-classes-in-high-school
- Crimson Global Academy. (n.d.). 10 benefits of taking advanced placement courses. Crimson Global Academy. https://www.crimsonglobalacademy.school/us/blog/10-benefits-of-taking-advanced-placement-courses
- College Board. (2025). Broadening access to Advanced Placement: A toolkit for educators and school leaders [PDF]. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/broadening-access-to-ap.pdf
- Center for American Progress. (2024). Closing advanced coursework equity gaps for students. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/closing-advanced-coursework-equity-gaps-students
- National Association of Secondary School Principals. (2024, September 24). The power of one: How a single AP course can transform students' futures. NASSP. https://www.nassp.org/2024/09/24/the-power-of-one-how-a-single-ap-course-can-transform-students-futures
- Klein, A. (2023, July). How to make AP classes accessible and equitable: District leaders share strategies. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/how-to-make-ap-classes-accessible-and-equitable-district-leaders-share-strategies/2023/07
- College Board. (n.d.). Spotlight on success: Expanding access. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/start-expand-ap-program/expand-access/spotlight-on-success
- College Board. (n.d.). Achieving AP access for all workshops. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/professional-learning/workshops/achieving-access-workshops
- College Board. (n.d.). Educator ambassadors. College Board. https://k12.collegeboard.org/educator-ambassadors
- College Board. (n.d.). AP data and research. AP Central. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/ap-data-research
- College Board. (n.d.). AP Potential. https://appotential.collegeboard.org
- College Board. (n.d.). Empowering excellence: Guide to building and sustaining AP student ambassador program. All Access | College Board. https://allaccess.collegeboard.org/empowering-excellence-guide-building-and-sustaining-ap-student-ambassador-program
- College Board. (n.d.). Strategies for expanding access to AP. All Access | College Board.
- CollegeAdvisor.com. (n.d.). Online AP courses: A guide. CollegeAdvisor.com. https://www.collegeadvisor.com/resources/online-ap-courses
- College Board. (2024). How Do Pre-AP and AP work together? Pre-AP | College Board. https://pre-ap.collegeboard.org/learn-about-pre-ap/how-pre-ap-works/pre-ap-and-ap
- Bliven, A., & Jungbauer, K. (2021, June 14). The impact of student recognition of excellence to student outcome in a competency-based educational model. Evolllution. https://evolllution.com/attracting-students/retention/the-impact-of-student-recognition-of-excellence-to-student-outcome-in-a-competency-based-educational-model
