HUNTSVILLE – After just one year in the A+ College Ready initiative, 7 schools from Huntsville City and Madison County schools have shown dramatic increases in Advanced Placement (AP)® success in math, science and English.
“Alabama is No. 1 in the nation in improving success in Advanced Placement, and Huntsville and Madison County worked hard to contribute to our outstanding results,” said Gov. Bob Riley. “The future of this great state depends on how well we prepare our next generation of leaders, and succeeding in the rigorous coursework offered through Advanced Placement courses is critical to providing a world-class education for our children.”
The program measures success through the number of passing scores earned on AP exams.
• The three Huntsville City schools – Columbia, Lee and Huntsville high schools –increased passing scores on AP exams 69 percent (from 218 in 2009 to 368 in 2010).
• The four Madison County schools – Buckhorn, Hazel Green, Madison County and Sparkman high schools increased passing scores on AP exams 266 percent (from 95 in 2009 to 348 in 2010.)
These gains were made possible through the hard work of teachers and students and a strategic partnership with A+ College Ready, a statewide initiative to increase the number of students prepared to take rigorous Advanced Placement courses in math, science and English.
“These 7 schools belong to a network of 43 A+ College Ready schools that are helping us open AP classroom doors to more students than ever before, including some students who may not have initially believed they could succeed at this level,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton. “But these results show that with the right support, Alabama teachers and students can achieve at high levels.”
The funding for this initiative is the result of a public-private partnership that includes $1.3 million this year from the Alabama legislature, a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative and additional matching funds currently being raised from Alabama donors over five years.
The Huntsville business community raised more than $830,000 to bring A+ College Ready to this area. “A+ College Ready provides a tremendous opportunity to foster our next generation of leaders in science and engineering,” said Tony Jones, Boeing vice
president and senior executive of Boeing’s Huntsville operations. “We are able to support our teachers in executing this program, and we are breaking down barriers that have kept some groups of students from taking advantage of these rigorous, college-
level courses. Today, these results, show us that students are stepping up to the challenge and doing the work that will be critical to their future success.”
A+ College Ready provides training, resources and incentives to help schools expand their AP Programs. AP teachers attend weeklong Summer Institutes, get coaching from experienced and successful AP teachers and receive stipends to compensate them for the extra time and work involved in teaching AP courses. Financial incentives are available to teachers, students and school leaders to recognize academic achievement. Students also attend Saturday study sessions taught by successful AP teachers from across the U.S.
A+ College Ready, a division of the A+ Education Partnership, was created with a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) to implement a proven Advanced Placement training and incentive initiative in public schools throughout Alabama. Key leadership involved in launching and supporting this public-private partnership included the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education, the Alabama Power Foundation, The Alabama Math, Science and Technology Education Coalition, Regions Financial Corporation and ExxonMobil Corporation. For more information, please visit www.apluscollegeready.org.
The National Math and Science Initiative was formed to address the declining numbers of students equipped for careers in math and science, a trend posing a great economic and intellectual threat to the nation. The Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program has three main goals: To increase the number of students enrolled in Advanced Placement math, science and English courses; to increase the number of students earning qualifying scores on AP exams in those subject areas; and to increase the number of students attending and graduating from college with degrees in math and science. NMSI’s founding donors are the ExxonMobil Corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. For more information, please visit www.nationalmathandscience.org.
®Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
