A recent report by The Broad Foundation is recognizing six urban school districts for boosting participation and performance among black students on Advancement Placement exams. Fulton County Schools and Cobb County School District in metro Atlanta are among those half-dozen districts.

The report found that gaps in participation and passing rates on AP exams between white and black students remain significant. In most districts, access and participation have gone up, but passing rates have dropped.

The six districts were recognized for taking such action as educating parents about AP tests, offering rigorous curricula beginning in elementary school, expanding access to gifted programs, and teacher training.

The other districts are Garland Independent School District in Texas, Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky, Orange County Public Schools in Florida and San Diego Unified School District in California.

Tags: Cobb County schools, AP exams, Fulton County Schools, broad foundation