When it comes to being successful, a lack of resources is the number one factor separating the upper class from the lower class. According to a 2013 report “white and Asian students attended city high schools with twice as many AP courses, compared with schools attended by black and Hispanic students.” The lack of AP or advanced placement courses has led to many black and Hispanics being unprepared for the next level of education.
According to the NY Daily News “Just 7,386 black and Hispanic students passed AP exams in the 2014-15 school year, compared to 14,323 white and Asian students. Black and Hispanic kids account for roughly 70% of all city school students.” The key here is that 70% number. While on the surface it may look as if white and Asian students are just smarter than their counterparts, when in depth research is performed, it boils down to resources more so than simply results.
The $1.6 million will help even the playing field by developing more AP classes in schools that are predominately black and Hispanic. With 70% of the student population matching that criteria, this should not be too hard to do. The goal is to give the average student at least 5 AP courses to choose from by 2021. This will hopefully raise the bar for students who are qualified to take AP courses but do not have any available at their current school.
The biggest thing holding back lower class Americans is an access to similar opportunities as upper class Americans. This is a step in the right direction to help even the playing field and allowing talent to truly win out.
