1. Innovative Strategies to Improve AP
Student Participation and Performance
2010 College Board Forum
Baltimore County Public Schools
Dr. Joe A. Hairston, Superintendent
October 28, 2010
2. Your AP Questions
Please write questions you have relative
to this workshop.
Place the questions on the Parking Lot
Charts on the wall.
3. Objectives
To present system and school-based
strategies relative to socio-economic,
gender, and ethnic factors to improve
Advanced Placement (AP) participation
and performance.
To provide opportunities for participants
to share effective AP strategies.
4. About Baltimore County Public
Schools. . .
BCPS wraps around but does not
include Baltimore City. With almost
800,000 residents, Baltimore County is
diverse with residents living in suburban,
rural, and urban neighborhoods
reflecting the nation’s blend of cultures
and backgrounds.
5. About Baltimore County Public
Schools - An Overview
27th largest school system in the U.S.
103, 832 students
39.3% eligible for free/reduced meals
52.2% minority enrollment
3.5% English Language Learners
173 schools, and programs, and centers
6. About Baltimore County Public
Schools-An Overview
More than 7,400 graduates
88% of graduates immediately pursue
higher education
88.4 million in scholarships reported by
2010 graduates
9. Blueprint for Progress
Performance Indicators
All high schools will meet or exceed the
national average of 7.0% participation
rate on the AP examinations. (1.13)
All high schools will have at least 70% of
their students who take AP exams
achieve passing scores. (1.14)
10. Challenges to Access and Rigor
Changing demographics
Cultural differences
Gender issues
Varied learning styles and preferences
11. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Begin with systemwide standards and
high expectations (Blueprint for
Progress).
Align standards with rigorous curriculum.
Develop English and math SAT
readiness course Sequence.
12. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Eliminate low level courses.
Establish partnership with College Board
(2000)
Use College Board standards to update
rigorous curriculum.
13. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Align disaggregated data to instructional
skills (PSAT/SOAS).
Use BCPS’ Cognos Data Warehouse
Collaborate with curriculum and
instruction; research, accountability, and
assessment; professional development;
and AVID/College Board office staffs.
14. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Set a minimum number of AP courses
each high school is expected to offer.
(BCPS’ standard, 12 AP courses).
Identify highly qualified AP teachers.
Empower AP school coordinators’
leadership at school sites.
15. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Coordinate annual 5-day College Board
AP Summer Institute-Goucher College.
Schedule parallel AP courses with gifted
and talented (GT) courses.
16. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Establish AP review course six weeks
before AP exam.
Plan AP Summer Bridge Programs.
Use AP Potential Roster-early
identification.
17. BCPS’ Systemic Approaches
Provide customized support to targeted
schools.
Facilitate continuous systemic
professional development.
(2010-2011 BCPS and College Board
Professional Development Calendar)
18. AP Results
Multi - year continuous improved AP
participation and performance (See
Chart.)
2009-2010
8.1% participation increase with a total of
9,750 students
4.9 % performance increase with a total of
6, 475 students having AP scores of 3-5.
19. AP Results
Average of 17 AP courses at each high
school
One-third of all high schools offer 20 or
more AP courses
20. AP Mathematics Strategies
Overlea High School
BCPS’ mathematics curriculum
Classroom instructional support
21. AP Mathematics Strategies
Overlea High School
Progress from standard to AP courses
Coordinate Saturday AP instructional
support
Facilitate AP teacher network groups
22. AP Mathematics Strategies
Overlea High School
Student Cohort
Technology Infusion-Wikis
Ed-Line
23. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
Shift to student driven course offerings.
Eliminate class size as AP enrollment factor.
Change from school counselor as AP coordinator to
content specific teacher.
Adjust limits on AP exam participation to inviting all
students who are academically ready to participate.
24. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
Set high expectations for teachers.
Involve department chairpersons and
leadership team members in the planning
and delivery of the professional development
process.
25. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
Participation
2006-20 2007-200 2008-200 2009-201 2010-201
07 8 9 0 1
Total
Students
enrolled 20 84 151 184 232
in AP
Courses
Total
possible
AP 44 123 240 292 415
Exams
Taken
26. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
Achievement
School Year 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
Grades of 3, 4 or 5 10 8 25 42
27. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
Course Offerings
2006-2 2007-2 2008-2 2009-2 2010-2
007 008 009 010 011
Total AP
Courses 6 9 13 16 19
Offered
28. Changing the Culture-One School’s Story
Chesapeake High School
At
Chesapeake High School, all really
means ALL:
• ALL students
• ALL faculty
Change is a total school effort.
29. Pause-Initiating Your AP Plan
In the table group, share some AP
strategies you learned and/or effective
strategies your school or school system
uses. (10 minutes)
30. Pause-Initiating Your AP Plan
Review sample school and teacher AP
Improvement Plans.
Agree upon 2 unique and effective AP strategies
you shared in your table group.
Write the strategies on the AP Improvement
Template.
One person reports for the table group.
31. Increasing AP Access Strategies
Dulaney High School
School Goal:
Access for all in rigorous courses
All students taking one AP by Grade 12
Data shows 30.3% of total school population
took one or more AP exams.
Only 10.3% African American students took
one or more AP exams.
32. Increasing AP Access Strategies
Dulaney High School
Target Populations
AfricanAmericans
Grade 9 Students
33. Strategies for Creating a Rigorous
Learning Environment for All
Organize a One Academic
Environment for Grade 9 & 10 English
and social studies classes.
Register students for standard or honors
and assign to the same class.
Offer AP courses to Grade 9 and 10
students: AP Biology, AP World History,
and AP Psychology.
34. One Academic Environment
Dulaney High School
Promote diversity within each class.
Encourage teachers to learn and use
differentiated instruction.
35. One Academic Environment
Dulaney High School
Implementation
Locate Grade 9 and 10 content specific
classes in a designated hall.
Provide a common lunch time for
planning.
Conference with parents to determine
students’ academic levels.
36. Providing Student Support
Write-Accel/Excel Grants.
Hire college student tutors.
Recruit retired teachers as volunteers.
Organize parent committees to support
academics.
37. Preparing Grade 8 Students for
AP Biology
How do students become eligible?
Maryland State Assessments Scores
and teachers’ recommendations
Interviews with middle school students
38. Preparing Grade 8 Students for
AP Biology
How are students and families
prepared?
Schedule a parent informational meeting
during Grade 8 students’ second semester
Notify students and parents of acceptance.
Begin one week Bridge Course during the
summer.
39. Student Success with AP Biology
in Grade 9
AP pass rates over 4 years. . . . .
Fifty-four students scored 5’s
Seven students scored 4’s
40. Improving AP Success for African
American Males-Woodlawn High School
Initiate in 2009-2010, Advancement via
Individual Determination (AVID) African
American Male Initiative, Grade 9 class.
41. Improving AP Success for
African American Males
Implement AVID curriculum.
Writing skills
Time management skills
Organizational skills
Study skills
Speaking skills
42. Improving AP Success for
African American Males
Infuse “culturally relevant
teaching” components in the lesson
Establishinginclusion
Developing a positive attitude
Enhancing meaning
Engendering competence
Ginsberg, M., Wlodkowski, R.J. (2000). A motivational framework for
culturally responsive teaching: Creating highly motivational classrooms for all
students (Chapter 4) . John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
43. Improving AP Success for
African American Males
Support Systems
African American male AVID teacher:
academic coach and mentor
College tutors
College visits
Parent meetings
Business and community speakers and role
models
49. References and Resources
www.collegeboard.com
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/as
(Building your AP program)
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/as
Ensuring equity access to AP at your
school)
50. References and Resources
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/as
(How to get students excited about AP
courses and exams)
AP Release Exams
51. AP Presenters
Please contact us!
Janine Holmes, jholmes@bcps.org, Chesapeake High School
Nancy Brajevich, nbrajevich@bcps.org, Overlea High School
Kelly Smith, ksmith@bcps.org, Dulaney High School
Scott Audlin, saudlin@bcps.org, Dulaney High School
James Martin, jmartin8@bcps.org, Woodlawn High School
Timothy Hayden, thayden@bcps.org, Office of School Counseling
Dr. Jessie Douglas, jdouglas@bcps.org, AVID/College Board office