Open AccessAdvanced Placement: Access Not Exclusion
Author(s) -
Wayne J. Camara,
Neil J. Dorans,
Rick Morgan,
Carol M. Myford
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
education policy analysis archives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.727
H-Index - 46
ISSN - 1068-2341
DOI - 10.14507/epaa.v8n40.2000
Subject(s) - argument (complex analysis) , quality (philosophy) , context (archaeology) , scarcity , advanced placement , curriculum , mathematics education , psychology , pedagogy , computer science , medical education , medicine , economics , epistemology , paleontology , philosophy , biology , microeconomics
Lichten (2000) argues that increased access to AP courses in high schools has led to a decline in AP quality. He uses a mix of actual data, inaccurate data, and fabricated data to support this hypothesis. A logical consequence of his argument is that a reduction in the availability of AP courses will lead to an improvement in AP quality. In this paper, we maintain that his thesis is flawed because he confounds quality with scarcity. In contrast to his narrow conception of quality, quality in the AP context is subject- specific and multifaceted, embracing course content, the teacher, the student as well as the exam. Increased access will not diminish quality. Instead, increased access exposes students to college-level course material, encourages teachers to expand their knowledge domains, serves as a lever for lifting curriculum rigor, and provides students with the opportunity to experience the challenges associated with advanced placement in college.