More Michigan students need AP classes, other rigorous coursework, report says

Rigorous courses preparing students for the future are disparate across public high schools, report finds
Those who are most disproportionately affected are students who are underrepresented, low income, disabled, English learners and live in rural communities
State budgets by the governor and House propose reducing funding for AP, other courses

High school students in Michigan’s wealthiest communities can choose from over seven times more Advanced Placement courses on average than students in the highest poverty communities, a new report this week shows.

AP courses — along with dual enrollment and career and technical education — are among the preparatory opportunities that too many of the state’s high school students are missing out on, especially underrepresented students, according to the report, “Ready for Rigor: Expanding Access to Rigorous Coursework in Michigan.”

Mostly missing out on the rigorous coursework are students who are Black, Latino, low-income, have disabilities or are English learners, the report says. Rural students also are left out too, state data shows.

“Every Michigan student deserves access to the coursework that prepares them for the future,” said Jennifer Mrozowski, senior director at Education Trust Midwest, which released the report. “And right now, we know that too many students … are being locked out of these opportunities.”

It’s important to ensure all students are ready for future educational opportunities, added Charlotte Pierce, senior policy analyst at Ed Trust Midwest.

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“A weak foundation has ripple effects into postsecondary readiness and success,” Pierce said.

The Education Trust report comes as negotiations also are underway to set funding priorities in the 2027 state budget. While funding for dual enrollment and CTE is proposed to increase, budgets proposed by the governor and House decrease funding for AP, International Baccalaureate, and College-Level Examination programs by $1.4 million. The Senate’s proposed budget continues funding at $2.6 million.

Michigan has made progress by expanding the availability of AP, CTE and dual enrollment programs but “more work needs to be done,” said Bob Wheaton, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Education.

“As the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget is finalized, the department is advocating for increased investment in rigorous courses that are so important to the future of our students,” Wheaton said.

Michigan Virtual has AP courses that students at all schools can access, Wheaton added. Michigan Virtual is a nonprofit organization that has offered virtual courses to students in the state for 25 years if they want courses not offered in their school district.

Michigan has invested millions of dollars in scholarships to defray college tuition costs for students, and the state is working to reach a goal of 60% of its residents having earned a post-secondary credential.

Earlier this year state officials encouraged tens of thousands of public high school students to take AP courses, which can lead to college credit after taking an AP exam.

The report showed that students in wealthier school districts had an average of 15 AP courses to select from while students in low income districts have an average of two in 2024-25, the report shows.

AP enrollment by the numbers, 2021-22:

White students made up 68.5% of the student body and 73.9% of the students enrolled in AP classes.
Black students made up 14.8% of the student body and 7.6% of the students enrolled in AP classes.
Latino students made up 8.3% of the student body and 5.6% of the students enrolled in AP classes.
English learners were 5.9% of the student body and 2.1% of the students enrolled in AP classes.
Students with disabilities were 11.2% of the student body and 1.5% of the students enrolled in AP classes.

Meanwhile, 90% of districts with more than 1,000 students have access to AP courses. But in districts with less than 1,000 students, only 35% have the opportunity, according to an analysis of 2024 state data.

Just over half — 50.6% — of Michigan’s public high schools offered AP classes as of the 2024-25 school year, according to state data. That has risen to 52.1% for 2025-26, according to preliminary figures.

Dual enrollment, an opportunity for students to earn college credit while in high school, more than doubles the chances that high school students enroll in college after graduation. But Michigan’s participation rate of 4.5% in 2021-22 lagged behind the national rate of 10.3%, the report shows. Just under 22% of those dual-enrolled were students of color.

“Students with the greatest needs lack access to rigorous coursework opportunities,” Pierce said. “They’re also less successful in these courses, compared to their peers, which signals the need for both greater access and greater support so every Michigan student graduates high school with the resources necessary to be college and career-ready.”

In the past decade, Michigan has ranked ninth nationally in increasing student participation in AP courses and 13th in improving scores that are high enough for students to possibly qualify for college credits, Wheaton said.

Participation has significantly increased for students who graduated in 2025, especially among underrepresented students: Black students have increased by 8.4 percentage points to 19.5% since 2015, putting Michigan 10th in growth nationally.  Hispanic students’s AP participation has increased by 13.1 percentage points to 34.8% since 2015, putting Michigan fourth in growth nationally, Wheaton said. 

“Despite those gains,” Wheaton said, “we fully recognize that Michigan needs to continue its work to make access to AP and other rigorous programs more equitable.”

The report makes numerous recommendations to improve in these areas including automatically enrolling students in AP classes, committing more resources for dual enrollment access in high schools, investing more in CTE, strengthening the school counselor pipeline and requiring students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to graduate.

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