AP draws together the most recent and rigorous research on the strengths and weaknesses of the Advanced Placement program.

With an annual yearly growth rate of 9.3 percent over the last two decades, Advanced Placement courses have become a juggernaut in American high school education. AP courses are routinely perceived as an indicator of educational rigor, and many schools push to enroll low-income or minority students in these courses in the hope of preparing them for success in college-level courses.

This rapid expansion of AP courses raises important...