Examining the Effects of Advanced Placement Accountability Incentives in Pennsylvania

• In Event: Accountability and Assessment Policy: Exploring History and Impact

Abstract

This study used an interrupted time series design to examine the effects of including indicators of Advanced Placement (AP) participation and performance in Pennsylvania’s school accountability system. We used hierarchical piecewise growth modeling techniques to ascertain if AP accountability incentives resulted in a statistical change in school-level (N = 701) AP subject offerings immediately and in the three years after policy implementation. Results suggest the inclusion of AP accountability incentives had no effect on school-level AP subject offerings immediately or over time. However, poverty composition, minority composition, enrollment size, student-teacher ratio, and geographic locale emerged as statistically significant predictors of AP subject offerings. The implications of these results for current accountability policy and directions for future research are discussed.

Authors

• Paul T Beach, University of Oregon

• Keith Zvoch, University of Oregon