Equity & Diversity News in Brief

AP Computer Science Lacking in Diversity

By Liana Loewus — November 10, 2015 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The pool of test-takers for the Advanced Placement computer science exam is still overwhelmingly white and male, according to data from the College Board.

The number of students taking the AP computer science exam increased by about 24 percent from last year, up to 46,000 U.S. students.

But the AP computer science exam has traditionally suffered from a lack of racial and gender diversity, and this year was no exception.

The number of female test-takers in computer science went up slightly over last year—but the group is still severely underrepresented, at just 22 percent. Ten states had fewer than 10 girls take the exam.

The percentage of test-takers who were members of underrepresented minorities went up just half a percentage point, to 13 percent. Twenty-three states had fewer than 10 black students take the exam, and in nine states no black students took it.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the November 11, 2015 edition of Education Week as AP Computer Science Lacking in Diversity

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Equity & Diversity Spotlight Spotlight on Equity
This Spotlight will help you explore critical issues related to DEI, as well as strategies to address disparities in access and opportunity.
Equity & Diversity Opinion The Fight Over DEI Continues. Can We Find Common Ground?
Polarizing discussion topics in education can spark a vicious cycle of blame. Is it possible to come to a mutual understanding?
7 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Equity & Diversity Opinion You Need to Understand Culturally Responsive Teaching Before You Can Do It
Too often, teachers focus solely on the content. They need to move beyond that and get out of their comfort zones.
11 min read
Images shows colorful speech bubbles that say "Q," "&," and "A."
iStock/Getty
Equity & Diversity Opinion How Can Educators Strike a Healthy Balance on Diversity and Inclusion?
DEI advocates and opponents both have good points—and both can go too far.
6 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty