Dive Brief:

• Despite strong overall AP and college prep participation rates, Wheaton North High School in suburban Chicago has seen lower rates of participation in those classes from students of color, with black and Latino students often finding themselves stuck in lower-rung classes, furthering intra-school inequality.
• Minority students at the school say they don't feel encouraged to take on more challenging courses — and they also face other challenges, such as being more likely to face suspension and fail classes, according to Education Week. 
• The school is currently trying a new program to identify students who might do well in AP classes through teacher recommendations, and it has instituted a summer bridge program that seeks to prepare more students for advanced courses. 

Dive Insight:

Students of color now constitute more than half of all K-12 students nationwide, although a majority of graduates are still white. That's expected to change in the coming decades, however, as the percentage of non-white students continues to grow. Inequality for non-white students is still a challenging issue for the U.S. education system, and failure to improve outcomes for these students could lead to skills shortages, economic impacts and strains on social welfare programs. In recent years, though, minority students — especially those from Hispanic backgrounds — have seen gains in performance, and graduation rates across all minorities are the highest they've ever been.

Creating a one-size-fits all model of education has proven difficult for schools in general. Personalized learning, where students receive tailored instruction, is one solution currently being tested by schools across the country. But scaling the model is a challenge, due to financial constraints, access to technology and professional training for educators. Schools that have made strides in providing better access to data, student supports, professional development and shifting instructional models have seen real gains with the model.