AP Computer Science Principles' Impact on the Landscape of High School Computer Science using Maryland as a Model

Abstract

The introduction of the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles course changed the high school computer science (CS) landscape in the United States. For the first time an AP course was designed to broaden participation in computing and attract all students as opposed to being designed to challenge the highest performing students. The goal was to design a rigorous and comprehensive CS high school course that highlighted the breadth of the field of CS beyond just programming. With the course first offered for AP credit in the 2016-2017 school year, this study explores how this -introductory advanced CS course impacted high school CS class offerings. Using data from a state-wide survey and the Maryland Longitudinal Data System Center (MLDSC), we found inconsistent impacts with the AP Computer Science Principles introduction. Some schools increased the number of CS courses while other schools decreased CS course offerings. This was counter to our expectation of an increase in CS classes at the high school level across the state. Responses from a teacher survey yielded insight into this unexpected outcome and informed explanations for these changes.