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Publication Date

Spring 2025

Degree Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Advisor

Luis Poza; Donald Harris; Thomas Moriarty

Abstract

This study posits that in American high schools, the preparation of Black and Latinx students, starting from the freshman year, can be effective in helping to increase their participation in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Structural inequities, in how schools are resourced, affect the ways in which Black and Latinx students are denied equal opportunities. On the contrary, members of their peers do obtain this kind of preparation. As a framework, Critical Race Theory (CRT) contends that race, the law, and power are deeply ingrained in maintaining established bastions of wealth and dominance. Gaps in opportunity and achievement spill over into the educational systems to maintain the status quo. Approaching the education of Black and Latinx students from a CRT perspective is essential to advance equity in the American educational system. To this end, timing is crucial, and it should not be underestimated. It starts with counselors, teachers and administrators/vice-principals from the moment Black and Latinx students enter American high schools; these educators are uniquely positioned to right the inequitable access of Black and Latinx students to AP courses in American schools. This study used a qualitative semi-structured interview protocol to document formal and informal resources and practices in place for AP course preparation of Black and Latinx freshmen and sophomores. A major finding included the need for alignment of technology integration across grade levels, and it proposed the establishment of welcoming spaces for Black and Latinx students.

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Available for download on Tuesday, February 03, 2026

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