In the next two weeks, 2 million students will take 3.7 million
end-of-year AP exams — figures well over double those from a
decade ago. With no national curriculum, AP has become the de
facto gold standard for high school rigor. States and high
schools are pushing AP classes and exams as a way to raise
standards across the board, in some cases tying AP to bonuses.
And the federal government is helping cover the exam fees. Now,
AP’s rapid growth is reaching even schools serving some of the
most disadvantaged students. These schools are embracing AP as a
comprehensive toolkit for toughening coursework, emphasizing
college preparation and instilling a “culture of excellence.” If
math teacher Jaime Escalante could lead low-income Los Angeles
students to AP calculus glory in the story that became the 1988
film “Stand and Deliver,” why not others? The problem is, there
usually isn’t a Hollywood ending. Last year, 18 percent of U.S.
high school graduates passed at least one AP exam (by scoring 3
or higher on a scal