Meaningful Access to Advanced Placement Programs.

This article examines how school leaders in two Midwestern urban school districts implement equity-focused Advanced Placement (AP) programs to increase access for traditionally underrepresented students. Using DeMatthews’ Community Engaged Leadership for Social Justice framework, the qualitative study highlights leaders’ personal experiences, commitments, and advocacy actions that dismantle barriers such as GPA requirements, teacher recommendations, and exam fees. Findings reveal that these leaders set clear equity goals, build supportive AP cultures, provide professional development for teachers, and engage in purposeful communication with students and families to promote inclusive participation. The study underscores the importance of distributed social justice leadership in transforming AP programming to expand rigorous academic opportunities for diverse learners.