Access to High School Physics Limited in Socioeconomically Challenged NYC Schools

A study of access to physics courses in the New York City public schools published in this month’s issue of American Journal of Physics has reached some disturbing conclusions.  To begin with,

A significant number of students attend schools where there is no opportunity to take a physics course. The data show that poor and underrepresented minority students are much less likely to have access than other students.

This result is particularly disturbing because of the possibility that physics and calculus are the key courses for students deciding to pursue scientific and engineering careers.

While only 45% of the 298 New York City high schools surveyed offered a physics course, only 7% offered an AP physics course.