Education Development Center (EDC) Improving Equity in AP CS Principles Project Design - Narrative

Sep 20, 2026

A five-year project proposal outlines efforts by Education Development Center (EDC) with Abt Associates and North Carolina State University to refine and study the impact of the Improving Equity in AP CS Principles program. The work centers on supporting implementation of the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum for AP Computer Science Principles, using Snap! visual programming to improve access and engagement for students underrepresented in CS. Objectives include raising AP CSP enrollment, exam participation, and exam passing for girls, Black and Latinx students, and low-income students, supported by school and teacher capacity-building, and guided by evaluation and continuous improvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages31

Reading Time1 h 18 min

AccessFree to download

Project Design

Project Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes

Needs of the Target Population

Knowledge from Research and Effective Practice

Project Contribution

Management Plan

Roles of Key Personnel and Partners

Responsibilities, Timeline and Milestones

Costs in Relation to Objectives, Design, and Significance of the Project

Feedback and Continuous Improvement Procedures

Dissemination

Project Evaluation

Outcomes and Impact Evaluation

Implementation Evaluation

References

TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Design.................................................................................................................................1 Project Goals, Objectives, and Outcomes.....................................................................................2 Needs of the Target Population.....................................................................................................8 Knowledge from Research and Effective Practice .....................................................................10 Project Contribution.................................................................................................................... 13 Management Plan ........................................................................................................................14 Roles of Key Personnel and Partners..........................................................................................14 Responsibilities, Timeline and Milestones .................................................................................15 Costs in Relation to Objectives, Design, and Significance of the Project ..................................17 Feedback and Continuous Improvement Procedures..................................................................17 Dissemination ............................................................................................................................. 18 Project Evaluation .......................................................................................................................19 Outcomes and Impact Evaluation ...............................................................................................21 Implementation Evaluation.........................................................................................................23 References.....................................................................................................................................26 PROJECT DESIGN Education Development Center (EDC), with partners at Abt Associates (Abt) and North Carolina State University (NCSU), proposes a five-year project to refine and study the impact of the Improving Equity in AP CS Principles program, a two-year computer science (CS) equity program centered on the implementation of the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum. BJC is a College Board-endorsed Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles (CSP) course designed to provide students with a rigorous and engaging introduction to CS and to support the participation of students from groups underrepresented in computer science. Originally designed at the University of California Berkeley (UCB) as an introductory course for non-CS majors, BJC has been adapted by EDC and UCB for use in a full-year high school AP course. The BJC course uses the blocks-based visual programming language Snap! to increase accessibility and engagement for students; employs a project-centered approach, with projects ina variety of contexts (e.g., games, art/design, mathematics); supports culturally responsive instruction; and incorporates critical social implications of computing in the content of the course. (See Appendix I-A for more about BJC and its creative approach to successfully engaging diverse students in AP CS) . BJC is free to schools and available online; its ongoing development and use is supported by EDC, UCB, NCSU, and the global software company SAP. The Improving Equity in AP CSP program will provide participating schools with robust school and teacher supports to strengthen implementation of BJC and help ensure that high-need students have access to equitable CS instruction. We define high-need students to include girls, Black and Latinx students, and students from low-income families, each of whom are underrepresented in computing. The proposed work responds to Absolute Priorities 1 & 2 and Competitive Preference Priority 1 to expa

FAQs

What is the main focus of the Improving Equity in AP CS Principles program?

The program focuses on refining and studying the impact of improving equity in AP Computer Science Principles by strengthening implementation of the Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC) curriculum.

Which students are targeted as high-need students in the project?

High-need students include girls, Black and Latinx students, and students from low-income families—each underrepresented in computer science.

What are the key outcomes the project aims to improve?

The project aims to increase AP CSP enrollment, exam taking, and exam passing for girls, Black and Latinx students, and low-income students.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Ben Jamin