Working Toward the Nation's Goals, Together
In 2008, the College Board set an ambitious national goal (.pdf/2.9MB): to increase the percentage of 25- to 34-year-olds who hold an associate degree or higher to 55 percent by 2025. Requires Adobe Reader (latest version recommended). The resulting College Completion Agenda is part of a growing national conversation about reestablishing the United States' position as a global leader in education and ensuring its future prosperity. Three goals are critical to this effort:
- increasing rigor;
- promoting equitable access to college-level academic experiences; and
- supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.
As you'll see in Figure 6, one obstacle to achieving all three goals — in particular, promoting equity — is a troubling opportunity gap among some of the nation's most promising students.
Success is rarely the result of just one element, and AP isn't a comprehensive solution. But AP — and the dedication and hard work of the students and educators who comprise its collaborative community — is one key ingredient in a larger recipe to support all three of these goals.
