April 22, 2021 | Senator Book Press Release

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX) today reintroduced a bill that would establish an $800 million competitive grant program for states and school districts to increase the enrollment and performance of underrepresented students in advanced courses and programs. Under the Advanced Coursework Equity Act, eligible states and school districts could receive up to $60 million in grants to do things like expand enrollment in advanced courses, cover the costs of exam fees for low-income students and train and hire teachers to teach advanced courses.

Black, Latino, and Native American students, students from low-income families, English learners, and students with disabilities are underrepresented in advanced programs and courses. While 1 in 10 students in American schools participate in the Advanced Placement (AP) program, just over 1 in 20 low-income, Black, and Native American students participate in AP. Additionally, less than 1 in 50 students with disabilities participate in AP. A low-income student with reading and math achievement levels equal to those of a high-income student is half as likely to receive gifted services as the high-income student.