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Welcome, Parents!toRebel U Welcome and IntroductionsMike GerardAssistant PrincipalKaren HibbsAdvanced Academic SpecialistLauri KrummAdministrative Intern & AP English teacher

A successful score on an AP Exam is a widely recognized sign of college-level achievement. In fact, more than 90 percent of four-year colleges in the United States and colleges in more than 60 other countries give students credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of AP Exam scores. By entering college with AP credits, youll have the time to move into upper-level courses, pursue a double major or study abroad. Go to www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy to find out more about the AP policies of colleges that interest you.AP credit helps you design a college experience that suits you and gives you the flexibility to get the most out of your college years.Because of my AP credits, I had time for an amazing semester studying abroad in Italy and could still graduate from college in four years.www.collegeboard.orgCurrent Reality Part 1The RHS AP program is currently highly successful, having increased our exam passing percentages while also increasing total numbers of students in AP classes and still requiring all students in an AP class take the examHere are the facts:AP: Five-Year Score Summary515062606360496556606451615151Our overall passing percentage (a score of 3 or higher on the exam) has increased every year. We have not only exceeded the Texas percentage, but now the global percentage also! Keep in mind that ALL our AP students take the exams, not only those who passed a mock exam or chose to pay for the exam. Notice that the Texas and Global percentages have remained static, while RHSs have made fairly consistent gains.5The Numbers Tell the Story for Richland High School . . .20072008200920102011Total AP Students280291362383415Number of Exams649665774747815AP Students with Scores 3+140162230240271% Total of AP Students with Scores 3+50.0%55.7%63.5%62.7%65.3%AND we have increased the numbers of students taking AP classes and exams.6District Comparison of AP Scores2011RHS prepares nearly as many students to pass the exams than Birdville and Haltom high schools combined!7Current Reality Part 2Student enrollment in PreAP courses is actually much higher than in the AP courses.Student enrollment in advanced academics decreases as students progress from year to year. We struggle to keep students who are successful in Pre-Advanced Placement courses in the Advanced Placement strand.PreAP vs. AP EnrollmentFreshman and sophomore pre-AP enrollment = 180-220 students in core courses. Junior AP enrollment = 90-180 students in core courses. Senior AP enrollment = 45-145 students in core courses.The Big Picture Overall AP-strand course enrollment declines approximately 33% from PreAP freshman and sophomore courses to junior AP.And declines another approximately 33% from junior year to senior year.Why This May Be HappeningStudents may opt to have an easier senior year.Students may opt to gain guaranteed credits by passing a dual-enrollment course through TCC or UTA.Students may not want to complete summer assignments. Students may think the AP course will be too difficult to earn an A and maintain their GPA.Cause for ConcernStudents who have demonstrated success in PreAP courses need to maintain the rigor and work at their capacity.Cause for ConcernAP courses benefit students in gaining college admittance, performing in college successfully, graduating from college within four years.

Lets look at some information from The College Board:

GETTING INTO COLLEGE

2nd highest is difficulty level of high school course load1585 percent of selective colleges and universities report that a students AP experience favorably impacts admissions decisions.

Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research, Inc. March 2007. For the purpose of this study, selective institutions were defined as those where less than 70 percent of applicants were admitted, the mean SAT score was 1025 or higher, and mean ACT score was 22 or higher.

Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research, Inc. March 2007. For the purpose of this study, selective institutions were defined as those where less than 70 percent of applicants were admitted, the mean SAT score was 1025 or higher, and mean ACT score was 22 or higher.

SUCCESS IN COLLEGE

GETTING OUT OF COLLEGE * Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System database, 2008** Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences. The College Board, 2008AP Helps Students Graduate on TimeOnly one in four students who enter college complete a bachelors degree in four years.*A recent study** showed that students taking AP courses and exams were much more likely to earn a college degree in four years.For example:

Linda Hargrove, Donn Godin, and Barbara Dodd, College Outcomes Comparisons by AP and Non-AP High School Experiences. The College Board, 2008. The temptation is to say, Of course, AP students do better in college: theyre smarter to begin with! Howeverto isolate the role of AP, researchers compared matched groups of students, meaning the students had similar SAT rank and family incomes, but different experiences with English course work.(i.e., they either took the AP course and exam or they took other English courses).

Student GroupAP Exam Grade of 3, 4, 5AP Exam Grade of 1, 2Took AP course, but not examAfrican-American28% higher22% higher16% higherHispanic28% higher12% higher10% higherWhite33% higher22% higher20% higherLow-Income26% higher17% higher12% higherNot Low-Income34% higher23% higher19% higherSource: Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation (National Center for Educational Accountability, 2006)Impact of AP on 5-Year College Graduation Rates23But NCEA has taken the typical correlation study into a much more powerful analysis of the relationship between AP and college success. In this brand new (2006) study, NCEA only compared students with comparable academic abilities, so that the variable became whether or not a student took AP in high school. This study shows that students who take AP have much higher college graduation rates than students with the SAME academic abilities who do not have that valuable AP experience in high school. AP and the Cost of College

Costs include tuition, fees, and books only, and do not include room, board, and other living expenses. Average Estimated Undergraduate Budgets, 2008-09 (Enrollment-Weighted). The College Board, Trends in College Pricing, 2008.

Cause for ConcernAs students are choosing on-level or dual-credit courses after completing the pre-AP preparatory classes, they are discarding these college benefits.Our latest 5-Year Graduation Rate (students who have enrolled in college having graduated from RHS and graduate from or are still enrolled in college after 5 years) is only 20%. To create a culture where academic excellence is honored, respected, and celebratedVisionGoalsTo see all students enrolled in the most rigorous level of courses in which they can demonstrate success To increase the number of students taking each AP exam, thereby increasing the number of students either gaining AP college credits or being better prepared for college courseworkTo increase the percentage of the 5-year college completion rate for graduates of our campus

Rebel UOur New ParadigmRebel U Philosophy #1Students are often more interested in immediate gratification and dont see the future benefits of taking more difficult courses while in high school.

Students often respond positively to incentives and benefits.

Rebel U Philosophy #2RHS AP courses are college-level courses!

Students enrolled in multiple college-level courses should be treated more like college students.Rebel UOur plan to create a system of benefits and incentives to promote continued student participation in AP courses at RHSRebel U LevelsRebel PrepRebel URebel Prep Qualifications 9th graders enrolled in 3 PreAP courses OR 2 PreAP courses and 1 approved extra-curricular elective *

* Approved extra-curricular elective is defined as a course which requires extensive participation, practice, and/or performance beyond the regular school day.Rebel U Qualifications 10th graders enrolled in 1 AP course and 2 PreAP coursesOR 1 AP and 1 PreAP and 1 approved extra-curricular elective

11th graders enrolled in 3 AP/PreAP courses (at least 1 must be AP)OR 2 AP/PreAP and 1 approved extra-curricular elective

12th graders enrolled in 3 AP coursesOR 2 AP courses and 1 approved extra-curricular elective Rebel U Qualifications3 is the magic number of approved courses for participation. Rebel U Incentives and Benefits Recommended by TeachersRank-level T-shirts and color-coded Rebel U IDsCollege workshops and assemblies with guest speakers Off-campus lunchCourtyard lunchLimited restrictions, such as allowing drinks in classrooms on FridaysBefore-AP-test-week rally or ritual in an iconic NRH location (perhaps the FAAC) This would be similar to what some of the students witnessed last Spring Break in Italy prior to test week . Students went to the town square and completed an organized ritual.Rebel U Incentives and Benefits Recommended by TeachersPre-AP summer campAP mob (similar to a flash mob) in the main hallway during passing period (perhaps once per 6 weeks)Teachers provide and serve lunch to the studentsA street marker created from all students taking an AP test lining up along a major thoroughfare, and mark the beginning and ending of the line. Students would hold signs and banners to advertise the purpose and receive recognition as they lined up. Day at NRH2O after AP exam weeksRebel U Incentives and Benefits Recommended by TeachersInvitation into the TCU student mentor program. The student is put with a TCU student to attend classes and see what college life is like for the day. Pledge party and social. This could include academic quizzes that give prizes to the winners.Rebel U Incentives and Benefits Recommended by StudentsOpen campusDay to relax; relaxation timeRestroom passClass outside$Less homeworkDrop lowest grade in all classesAdd AP score x2 to gradeScholarshipsChoice of lunch locationRebel U Incentives and BenefitsRecommendation list will need administrative approval, and perhaps School Board approval for some of the suggestions!Rebel U Parent MeetingsAnnual early spring meeting to present the benefits beyond high school of AP course experiencesPotential training on ways to assist students with the work load associated with AP classesRecruitment to assist the program by making use of parents talents and resourcesWhere you come in!Incentive/benefit suggestionsResources you can provide, including volunteer time or community networkingOffer to serve on implementation committee

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