COLLEGE READINESS AND SUCCESS: Expanding College Ready Course Offerings

Through Advanced Placement®

Fact: only 28% of Louisiana students graduate from a 2 or 4 year college (only 19% from a 4 year college)Vision: implementing the local initiatives and capabilities indicated below that enable

students to become lifelong learners while mastering skills that will help them attain entry-level employment

Foundational Skills

Transitional 9th Grade

Pathways

Supports

Rewards

A new Transitional 9th Grade policy that reduces drop out rates `by placing overage students in age-appropriate settings with intense academic support

A focus during the first two years of high school in building all student’s basic literacy, numeracy and problem solving skills (important for college and career)

Providing customizable academic and career pathways that help students master critical skills and earn nationally-recognized credentials

New programs and capabilities like the Statewide Counselor Assistance Center, the Supplemental Course Academy, Jump Starting Jump Start Grants, etc.

Providing for the first time equal credit for students who excel academically (e.g., a 3 or above on an AP test), with career students (e.g., a NCCER Electrician credential), or both (e.g., a student with both a 4 on a Computer Science AP and a IT industry credential)

Building Blocks to the Future

The Advanced Placement® Program

3Louisiana Believes

The Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) enables motivated and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies - with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both - while still in high school. 

“One of the best standard predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement® Examinations.” —William Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Harvard University

AP® Participation and Performance

4Louisiana Believes

Over the last decade, a broader, more diverse group of students has benefited from expanded access to Advanced Placement. In addition, more students than ever before are succeeding on AP Exams. Comparing the class of 2013 to the class of 2003 revealed the following:

• The class of 2013 achieved 1,000,135 more AP scores of 3, 4, or 5 (the scores typically accepted by colleges for credit and placement) and had an increase of 824,368 AP scores of 1 or 2. In other words, there was a greater increase from 2003 to 2013 in the scores of 3 or higher than in the scores of 1 or 2.

• 33.2 percent of public high school graduates in the class of 2013 took an AP Exam, compared to 18.9 percent of graduates in the class of 2003.

• 20.1 percent of public high school graduates in the class of 2013 earned a 3 or higher on an AP Exam, compared to 12.2 percent of graduates in the class of 2003.

Louisiana led the nation in AP® participation growth during the

2013 Spring exam cycle with an increase of approximately 42%.  #1 in the Nation!

Strategies for Increased Participation

Louisiana Believes 5

Accountability Incentives

Course Credit and Weighted GPA Policy

AP Potential

Funding

Professional Development

 

Accountability Incentives

6Louisiana Believes

AP® ensures students

planning to go to four-

year colleges

have taken a true college

prep curriculum and have

every chance to receive TOPS.

AP® rewards students who take

more rigorous

AP® courses by giving courses

approved by the state additional weight in

the calculation of the TOPS

GPA.

Each student with at least

one AP® score of 3 or higher

will earn the maximum 150 points toward the graduation

index.

Students who take an

AP® exam and earn a 1 or 2 will receive 110 points toward the graduation

index.

TOPS Core CurriculumFor students graduating 2018 and thereafter

7Louisiana Believes

ACT 359 takes effect with the graduating class of 2018 and increases the incentive to complete Advanced Placement coursework:

• Aligns the Core Four Diploma course sequence with the TOPS core sequence

• Ensures students going to four-year colleges have taken a true college prep curriculum and have every chance to receive TOPS

• Rewards students to take more rigorous AP® courses by giving courses approved by BESE and Board of Regents additional

weight in the calculation of the TOPS GPA  

Recruiting Students to Take AP® Courses

8Louisiana Believes

AP Potential® Data Packets

AP Potential® is a planning tool that allows administrators to generate rosters of students who are likely to score a 3 or better on a given AP® Exam.

Based on research that shows strong correlations between ACT Plan® scores and AP® Exam results, AP Potential® is designed to help you increase access to AP® and to ensure that no student who has the chance of succeeding in AP® is overlooked.

AP Potential® …• Identifies “diamond-in-the-rough” students

• Promotes equity by identifying students who initially might have been

overlooked for AP® courses

• Is a useful tool for principals, teachers, and counselors to expand AP® programs and increase enrollment in current AP® courses

Funding

9Louisiana Believes

To expand access to Advanced Placement® courses in 2013, the state funded more than 5,000 AP® exams and trained nearly 700 educators to teach Advanced Placement® courses.

AP® Test Fee Program• Partnering with the USDOE, the Department will reimburse $55

for each 2014 AP® exam taken by students that meet the definition of low-income resulting in $0 cost to qualifying students.

Professional Development• LDE will reimburse $89 for each 2014 AP® exam taken in a course

offered for the first time in a Louisiana public school.

• LDE will reimburse 2014 AP® Summer Institute registration fees for approved Louisiana APSI sites and fees associated with the AP® Summer Institute for Administrators in Jacksonville, FL

Professional Development

10Louisiana Believes

The Louisiana Department of Education is providing training for education leaders, teachers, and counselors - summer 2014.

Teachers• Advanced Placement® Summer Institute for Administrators

Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge

Lusher High School, New Orleans

ULM, MonroeCecil J Picard Center,

Lafayette

Administrators• Advanced Placement®

Summer Institute for Administrators

Jacksonville, FL - June 18 - 20

LDE WebinarsAP® Exam Fee ReimbursementExpanding Advanced

Placement®

APSI Fee ReimbursementAP® PotentialAP® Course Audit Increasing AP® OpportunitiesTOPS Core Curriculum Changes

Building an Open-Admission

AP® Program:

The Road to College Readiness

Presented By:New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School

Sci High 1

FOUNDATION: Why focus on AP®?

12

Sci High 3

Question: With all the problems in high-needs

schools, how can Advanced Placement® be a priority?

Question: With all the problems in high-needs

schools, how can Advanced Placement® be a priority?

Sci High’s Answer:• All students, especially those in high-needs schools,

deserve an education that prepares them for college. • In Louisiana, getting into college is easy.• In Louisiana, getting through college is unlikely.

• Graduation rates for public colleges range from 3% to 68%

• High school is a safe place to experience rigor. 13

Sci High 4

FOUNDATION: Why focus on AP®?

Core Beliefs• All students are entitled to the opportunity to choose

college.

• Participating in, and even struggling through, an AP® class in high school will increase a student’s post-secondary success.

Open-Admission AP® Supporters• National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI)• Collegeboard (Equity and Access Colloquium)• Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives, Tulane University

Sci High 5

Big Goals of AP®

1. Increase exposure to rigor (# of students enrolled)

2. Increase AP® success (# of 2’s and qualifying scores)

3. Increase post-secondary performance (college persistence)

Sci High 6

Tiers 1-3 in AP® scores over 5 years

280 tests

2013-2014280 tests

2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-20140

50

100

150

200

250

300

Tier 1Tier 2Tier 3# Exams

Sci High 14

Challenges: Mindset• Students: “I’m not an AP® student”

• Parents of high-level and gifted kids: open access decreases “specialness”

• Teachers: “The kids aren’t ready, my scores will be bad”

• Counselors: “Not everyone should go to college”

• Administrators: “Why is this a priority?”

Responses to Challenges: Mindset• Students: “I’m not an AP student” AP® is for all students who

want the option of going to college.• Parents: open access decreases “specialness” more AP®

students more AP® classes• Teachers: the kids aren’t ready build vertical alignment,

evaluate teachers by # of passing scores interested, engaged students.

• Counselors: Not everyone should go to college Enrollment in AP® increases options.

• Administrators: Why is this a priority? AP® is an inexpensive way to increase rigor, opportunity, and post-secondary success for all students.

What is Success in Open-Access AP®?

• 100% of kids in an AP® class take the AP® test.

• 100% of students take an AP® class (and the test) before graduation.

• Absolutely zero obstacles in signing up for an AP® class• (No recommendations, grades, parent signatures, essays, etc.)

• NOT a high AP® passing rate (unless the whole-school ACT scores correspond to high AP® passing rates)

• Students cite their AP® classes as their favorite classes in high school once they come back from college.

Years 1 & 2: Logistics

Administrators attend APSI and research AP® programs• Collegeboard’s Spotlight on Success• National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI)

Identify AP® teachers• Must believe all students CAN. • Send to APSI, pile on resources

Curriculum team determines AP® offerings • Limit or discontinue “honors” courses• Start small: 2-4 classes, 11th and 12th grade students

Sci High 16

Years 1 & 2: Logistics (cont.)

Maintain tight control over scheduling• Limit other staff from “recommending down.”• Remove all barriers from AP® enrollment (teacher rec, GPA, parents)• Determine when students can drop AP®

Set up an AP® Coordinator• Registers students for PSAT• Orders testing materials• Oversees AP® course audit submissions

Budget for AP®

• Money for classes (esp. science)• Pay for all AP® exams

Sci High 17

Years 1 & 2: Culture Shift

Student and Parent buy-in• Recruitment events/info nights• Orientation events• Events on college campus

Teachers/Faculty believe in mission• Not concerned with “passing rate”• Experienced external AP® mentors

Administrators• AP® as a priority, tied to college readiness and student success for

ALL students

Incentives• T-shirts, lunches, college visits, pizza study sessions, bling• Money for qualifying scores

Sci High 18

Years 3 & 4: Logistics

Early AP® Preparation• 9th grade: double-block math and English• Math and English intervention classes in 10-12th grade• Offer Pre-AP® classes

Teacher development• APSI and Pre-AP® training for anyone• Recruit for AP®, retain for AP®, redistribute for AP®, fire for AP®

• Successful AP® teachers lead the AP® teams and strategy sessions

Scheduling• Add AP® courses, focusing on areas of strength and student

interest• Anyone can get in, very difficult to get out• Involve Advisory/homeroom teachers & AP® teachers in process

Sci High 20

Years 3 & 4: Logistics & Culture

Safety Nets• Tutoring, study sessions, retaking tests, redoing assignments, prep

books, mentors, study groups, class blog, study period, text/call/email teacher, resource guides, text/call study buddy

• Regular credit for an AP® class

Mock Exams• Last year’s exam- access to free-response books for $250• On college campus, big lunch afterward

Conversations with students• How to talk about a 1• Talking up AP® to 9/10th graders, incoming students (7th and 8th)• Inclusive Club: study groups, announcements, t-shirts

Sci High 21

Make a Plan

Find your team: Who is

already aligned?

Start small: Where are

your school’s areas of strength?

Get help:• Email Laney French: dfrench@noscihigh.org • Collegeboard conferences• Local network - visit schools with AP® programs

Sci High 26

Questions?

LOGISTICS: building a program

CULTURE: shifting the focus

SciHigh Contact:

Laney French, dfrench@noscihigh.org

LDOE contact:

Tristen Guillory, Tristen.Guillory@la.gov

Sci High 27

ReflectionClick here to access 2013 AP exam data by LEA

If you have observed…

1. Most AP scores in a subject area are I’s and 2’s:a) Review the course content against the course description to ensure

that students are being taught what the exams measure. This is especially true if students whose classroom scores are high do not achieve average scores on AP exams.

b) Consider the opportunities teachers have had for professional development and factor in student readiness (motivation, reading and writing skills, prior course work).

2. Most AP scores in a subject are 4’s and 5’s:a) It’s possible the selection criteria for the class are overly rigorous.

Consider opening the class to more students.

3. Scores on the multiple-choice and free-response sections of AP Exams are widely divergent:a) Implement practice sessions on test skills for multiple-choice exams,

or more assignments during the school year that emphasize writing and organizational skills.

Sci High 28