Record numbers sign up for rigorous courses in Montgomery high schools

A+ College Ready's program schools show 53 percent increase in key Advanced Placement* courses

MONTGOMERY – The A+ College Ready program schools in Montgomery have posted a record increase in students taking Advanced Placement courses in math, science and English. Enrollment in these key courses is up 53 percent from last year.

This dramatic growth is a result of A+ College Ready, which is part of a nationwide effort to foster the next generation of scientists and engineers. The growth occurred at these high schools: Booker T. Washington Magnet, Brewbaker Technology Magnet, Robert E. Lee and Loveless Academic Magnet Program.

"This shows that our students will take on more rigorous work if the courses are made available and they are encouraged to take on the challenge," said Mary Boehm, president of A+ College Ready, which is supervising the expansion of AP programs in 12 Alabama high schools this year. The initiative is projected to reach 80 schools in the coming years.

Montgomery's gains were celebrated at a School Year Kickoff this afternoon at Lee High School. The event coincided with the third of more than 20 professional development opportunities that A+ College Ready is providing for Montgomery educators this school year. The also organization paid for 24 teachers, three counselors and six administrators  – all from Montgomery – to attend AP Summer Institutes in 2008.

"We're proud that this program is already generating tremendous results for Alabama," said John Winn of the National Math and Science Initiative, which awarded Alabama a $13.2 million grant to expand AP programs. "We strongly encourage continued local and state support for this critical initiative, to ensure that Alabama's future workforce is better prepared to thrive in the global economy."

More than 100 educators from 13 Montgomery schools gathered at Lee High School today for vertical team meetings. High school, junior high and middle school teachers worked together to make sure pre-AP courses are preparing students for AP courses.

"It's exciting that more than 800 students and their teachers have stepped up to this challenge," said Mitzi McLaurine, AP coordinator for Montgomery Public Schools. "And as the school year gets underway, I want you to know that you've got a whole team working together to help you conquer the next goal."

These schools pledged to more than double the number of qualifying scores (3, 4 or 5) on AP exams in the spring.

Why AP? Advanced Placement courses allow motivated students to take college-level courses while still in high school. The program better prepares students to succeed in college by helping them master more rigorous coursework and earn college credits early. Experience has shown that students passing AP exams are three times more likely to earn a college degree than students who do not pass. African-American and Hispanic students who pass an AP exam are four times more likely to earn a college degree than those who do not pass.

About A+ College Ready: A+ College Ready, a division of the A+ Education Partnership, received a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative for a training and incentive program designed to foster the next generation of scientists and engineers from Alabama. The grant is the largest private-sector gift on record to Alabama's public K-12 schools. Lead donors in Alabama are the Alabama Power Foundation and Regions Financial Corp.

A+ College Ready pays for AP teachers to attend professional development and to receive coaching from experienced AP teachers. The teachers also receive stipends to compensate them for the extra time and extra work involved in teaching AP.  Students can earn $100 for each qualifying score on a math, science or English AP exam, and teachers will receive $100 for each of their students who earn qualifying scores. 

The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) is an innovative new effort to improve math and science education in the United States. NMSI was launched by leaders in American business, education and science in 2007 to expand successful programs like Advanced Placement Training and Incentives. The non-profit organization was created in response to the landmark National Academies report “The Gathering Storm,” which warned that the United States is losing pre-eminence in math and science, jeopardizing America’s ability to compete in the global marketplace.

Major support for NMSI is provided by the ExxonMobil Corp., the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, with in-kind assistance provided by IBM and Perot Systems.

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*Advanced Placement Programs is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

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