In the 2022-2023 school year, students from multiple Alabama public school districts will be able to participate in A+ College Ready, a statewide initiative that aims to increase the number of high school graduates prepared for the challenge of college courses through increasing rigor in classrooms in grades 6-11 while expanding access to Advanced Placement (AP*) courses in high school.
In the A+ College Ready AP Training and Incentive Program (APTIP), participating high schools and their feeder middle schools receive comprehensive teacher training and support for Advanced Placement students and teachers, as well as training for ALL teachers in grades 6-11 in math and grades 6-10 in science, English, social studies, and computer science to increase growth and achievement for ALL Alabama students. The Alabama State Department of Education has partnered with A+ College Ready for more than 13 years to develop this initiative, serving the majority of Alabama’s high schools during that time.
In addition to the APTIP, A+ College Ready also has a new pilot program focused solely on middle schools (meaning, they do not have to have a feeding high school in the program), the Middle School Training and Incentive Program (MSTIP). These schools receive the same training and support as their high school counterparts to raise academic expectations and to increase rigor in these middle grades to ensure students are ready for their high school curriculum.
With the help of A+ College Ready, Alabama consistently ranked number one among all 50 states in the percent increase in AP qualifying scores on math, science, and English AP exams from 2008-2017 for all students. Additionally, Alabama saw the largest number of qualifying scores on AP tests by students of color in the state’s history in 2020. Since 2008, Alabama students have saved approximately $270,417,000.00 in college tuition thanks to college credit for qualifying AP exam scores.
“Every year it is a joy to welcome new schools into the A+ College Ready family,” said Tammy Dunn, Vice President for Academic Affairs, A+ College Ready. “We look forward to what can be accomplished for Alabama students as a result of these new partnerships.”
High schools joining the APTIP ALSDE/A+ College Ready Program for Cohort XV are:
Barbour County High School and feeder middle school (Barbour County)
Benjamin Russell High School and feeder Alex City Middle School (Alexander City)
Chickasaw High School (Chickasaw City)
Hartselle High School and feeder Jr. High School (Hartselle City)
Hewitt-Trussville High School (Trussville City)
Southeastern High School (Blount County)
Wetumpka High School (Elmore County)
“As an already high-performing school district, we applied for a partnership with A+ College Ready because of the history of success that A+ has shown time and time again. A+ College Ready is committed to student growth and success and provides us additional resources to ensure our students are prepared for college. We feel this partnership will take student success to new heights in Hartselle,” said Dr. Brad Cooper, Principal Hartselle High School.
Middle schools joining the MSTIP ALSDE/A+ College Ready Program for Cohort XV are:
Denton Magnet School of Technology (Mobile County)
H. Phillips Academy (Birmingham City)
Jasper Jr. HS (Jasper City)
Parrish Middle School (Walker County)
Valley Middle School (Walker County)
J. Christian (Birmingham City)
Zora Ellis Middle School (Talladega City)
“We feel working with A+ College Ready will take our curriculum to the next level. Using the feedback from our previous students who are in honors, AP and IB programs, we have begun the process of aligning our teaching with high school AP programs. Being part of the MSTIP program will better prepare our students for the challenges of the 21st century,” said James Gill, Principal, Denton Magnet School of Technology.
More about A+ College Ready Requirements:
The ALSDE / A+ College Ready Program provides extensive training and support for teachers and students in high school and middle school through our AP Training and Incentive Program and our Middle School Training and Incentive Program. AP students participate in virtual study sessions led by experienced master teachers, have reduced exam fees, and can earn financial incentives based on academic success. For teachers this includes:
- Weeklong summer training institutes
- Additional days of professional development throughout the year
- Ongoing support and coaching from expert content directors and managers
- Financial stipends based on academic results
Funding for equipment infrastructure to implement AP and A+ College Ready developed curricular frameworks. These frameworks include the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI’s) Laying the Foundation lessons for math, science, and English.
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