Disrupting Enrollment Practices For Advanced Courses: Exploring Ways To Close The Opportunity Gap For Black High School Students

In this research project, I use Critical Race Theory (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995) to investigate the central problem of why there is a disproportionately low number of Black students in advanced courses. In this qualitative study, I explored the experiences of four Black students in advanced high school courses. The purpose of my work in this dissertation was to first disrupt the current enrollment practices in high schools. Secondly, I explored ways to close the opportunity gap in advanced high school courses for Black students. The findings from my research helped inform recommendations for school leaders to close the opportunity gap at their schools. Ultimately, the actionable manifestation of my research was the development and organization of a community outreach program. The outreach event served as an opportunity for underrepresented students and their families to learn about the benefits of advanced courses and how to navigate the educational system. The design and intent of this research-based community initiative can serve as a model for other schools and communities to promote more expansive opportunities for students of color in advanced high school courses.