AP Computer Science participation is disproportionately low among girls and students of color¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · theoretical r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2021 · checked against its sources 2026-10-17 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2026: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? In 2019 girls comprised only 29 percent of AP Computer Science exam takers, and Black, Latinx, Native, and Pacific Islander students comprised less than 25 percent of exam takers despite being about 44% of the total student population. → ap-enrollment

Evidence¶

ap-enrollment¶

Mills, K., Coenraad, M., Ruiz, P., Burke, Q., & Weisgrau J. (2021, December). Computational thinking for an inclusive world: A resource for educators to learn and lead. Digital Promise. https://doi.org/10.51388/20.500.12265/138

q2 · i? · theoretical · r2

The report's current-state section, citing Code.org et al. (2020), reports that "In 2019, girls comprised only 29 percent of students that took the AP Computer Science exam." It adds that students of color comprised less than 25 percent even though they account for about 44% of the total student population, reflecting the lack of diversity in the CS workforce.

"In 2019, girls comprised only 29 percent of students that took the AP Computer Science exam. Additionally, students who identified as Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Latinx, Alaska Native/Native American comprised less than 25 percent"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Gender — predictor: outcomes differ by group: a gap reflecting circumstances and treatment, not a cause
• Race and Ethnicity — predictor: outcomes differ by group: a gap reflecting circumstances and treatment, not a cause

Related Claims¶

• Girls show less confidence and interest in math and science from early adolescence, and a strong math/science self-concept predicts course choice and performance for both genders — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• Roughly 30 percent of U.S. students (15 to 16 million) lacked adequate internet or device access in late 2020, with rural, Native American, Black, and Latino students disproportionately affected — related
• Participating districts report large enrollment gaps in CS courses by income and gender — a broader claim this one bears on
• Iowa City schools observed inequitable course enrollment in computational thinking, computer science, and advanced STEM electives by race/ethnicity, income, gender, and ELL status — related
• Digital skill gaps among U.S. workers are pronounced by race, while over 90 percent of jobs demand digital skills — related
• Girls and underrepresented minorities remain far below representative participation on AP computer science exams, though new exams show gains — related
• San Diego regional data show STEM access and pay remain inequitable by race, socioeconomic status, and gender — a broader claim this one bears on
• Black and Latino students are about one-third of Massachusetts public high school students but only 18% of AP test takers — related
• Existing race and ethnicity data standards render some Indigenous students and diverse Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students invisible, concealing disparities that disaggregated data would reveal — related
• Lack of diversity in computing stems from social and structural barriers, not ability or interest — a broader claim this one bears on
• ICCSD's enrollment data showed its high school CS courses were not attracting a student demographic representative of the wider district — related
• Black Americans comprise only 8% of the 5.3 million tech occupation jobs in the U.S. — related
• The reviewed literature shows limited engagement with specialist diversity concepts such as gender or race and little attention to teacher educators' own knowledge — related
• Boys, African American, and Hispanic children, and children with disabilities are disproportionately excluded from early care and education settings, though few studies computed disproportionality. — related