Effects of Participation Status in the Arkansas AAIMS Program by Gender, Race, and SES on AP Calculus Achievement

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore whether the Arkansas Advanced Initiative in Mathematics and Science (AAIMS) as implemented by schools within the state of Arkansas had an effect on mathematics achievement as measured by the 2015 AP Calculus AB exam. In 1955 the College Board created the Advance Placement program to be implemented in high schools in an attempt to address the growing gap between secondary education and college curricula. Then, in 2007 the Arkansas Advanced Initiative in Mathematics and Science was established in Arkansas to further train high school AP teachers, support AP programs throughout the state, and to expand the AP footprint statewide. Specifically, the present study addressed whether the implementation of the AAIMS program through teacher training increased mathematics achievement for those students in AAIMS schools as opposed to mathematics achievement for students in non-AAIMS schools. The potential impact of the program on mathematics achievement for students in terms of gender, race and socio-economic status (SES) was analyzed. The results of this study could have a potential impact on other high schools in Arkansas in terms of AP programs, AAIMS, and academic achievement, particularly in mathematics achievement. Could the implementation of the AAIMS program statewide have an effect on student achievement for all students in Arkansas