AdvanceKentucky Adds 20 New High Schools

AdvanceKentucky
Announces 20 New High Schools to Participate
in the National Math and Science Initiative
AP Teacher Training and Incentive Program

AdvanceKentucky Announces 20 New High Schools to Participate in the National Math and Science Initiative AP Teacher Training and Incentive Program

Twenty new high schools are joining AdvanceKentucky, bringing to 64 the number of high schools that are implementing the AP Teacher Training and Incentive Program (APTIP). This successful program involves content-rich teacher training and extensive support and incentives for students and teachers for achieving qualifying scores on Advanced Placement (AP)* exams in math, science and English.

AdvanceKentucky is funded by a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), which is supported by ExxonMobil, Dell and Gates Foundations, Lockheed and others. Kentucky sponsors include the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) including $500,000 for expansion to new schools during the 11-12 school year, Council on Postsecondary Education, and Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation. AdvanceKentucky has received federal grants from Appalachian Regional Commission and US Department of Education through KDE.

The NMSI model has demonstrated its proven ability in Kentucky schools to dramatically increase access to and accelerate learning in rigorous math, science and English (MSE) courses, as shown by qualifying scores on AP exams, particularly among underrepresented student populations. On the most recent 2010 AP exams, the 28 AdvanceKentucky schools alone contributed 43 percent of all new qualifying scores (QS) earned across Kentucky and 69 percent of new QS earned by minority students. These early participants performed at up to 12 times the national rate of one-year growth in student performance.

The 20 high schools named for Cohort 4 are: Allen County Scottsville, Apollo, Bell County, Betsy Layne, Bracken County, Campbell County, Glasgow, Daviess County, Hancock County, Jackson County, Jenkins, Knox Central, Lynn Camp, Marshall County, Mayfield, McLean County, Metcalfe County, Owen County, Pikeville, and Washington County.

The student profile of Cohort 4 high schools includes 53 percent free and reduced lunch (ranging from 24 percent to 85 percent) and five percent minority (African American and Hispanic ranging from less than one percent to 37 percent). Projected math, science and English AP enrollments for 11/12 school year anticipate an increase of 140 percent above 10/11 figures before entering the program.

These 64 participating schools are in 52 school districts, involving 480 AP teachers and over 17,000 AP MSE enrollments in the 11/12 school year. At least 440 MSE AP courses are planned for the 11/12 school year in calculus, statistics, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, English Language and English Literature
In addition to the 20 new schools named for Cohort 4, the 44 high schools currently participating in AdvanceKentucky are: Anderson County, Barren County, Bellevue, Bourbon County, Bowling Green, Bryan Station, Carroll County, Christian County, Clay County, Corbin, East Jessamine, Franklin County, Franklin-Simpson, George Rogers Clark, Graves County, Harrison County, Heath, Henderson County, Highlands, Holmes, Hopkins County Central, Hopkinsville, Johnson Central, Lone Oak, Madisonville Martha Layne Collins, Mercer County, North Hopkins, Marion County, Montgomery County, North Laurel, Paintsville, Perry County Central, Powell County, Pulaski County, Reidland, Scott County, Shelby County, South Laurel, Southwestern, Trigg County, Warren Central, Warren East, Western Hills, and West Jessamine. All 64 schools participating in the 11-12 school year are depicted on the map.

In recognition of the national importance placed on the success of NMSI-APTIP, last week ExxonMobil launched a national ad campaign during the ESPN/CBS-TV Sports coverage of the 2011 Masters Golf Tournament spotlighting students and teachers from across the country who are participating in APTIP, including AdvanceKentucky. The new commercials feature compelling profiles of AP students and teachers as well as video footage filmed on location at schools around the country. These ads and more stories of students and teachers in the APTIP program can be found at MyNMSIstory.com.

“This is an extraordinary boost for math and science education,” said Tom Luce, CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI). “We are grateful to ExxonMobil for devoting all of its commercial spots during this high-audience event to showcase our program. These spots will go a long way toward raising awareness of how critically important it is to bring college-level math and science courses to more young Americans.”

Schools interested in applying to AdvanceKentucky for participation in Cohort 5 may visit advanceky.com for application materials or email Joanne Lang at jlang@kstc.com for more information.

SOURCE: AdvanceKentucky Press release