The Growth and Change ofAdvanced Placement

MOACAC – April 11, 2011

Name, Regional Office

Introduction and Agenda

Marc Geslani, Educational Manager, Midwest Region– Financial Aid Leveraging consulting– Admission and Enrollment Management at Loyola University

Chicago, Elmhurst College, Saint Louis University and Illinois Institute of Technology

Agenda– AP’s Change and Growth Over the Last Decade– Field Research: College Admission Officers– AP’s Benefits to Students– AP Today and Tomorrow

The Growth and Change of AP Over the Last Decade

AP Growth 2006-2010

AP Growth: No. of Schools AP Growth: Students and Exams

+11.6% +37.8% Students* +38.9% Exams*

Source: The College Board SDRS* Represents growth from 2006-2010

AP Growth 2001-2010

Source: AP Report to the Nation 2011

AP Has Increasingly Served More Underrepresented Minority and Low- Income Students Over the Course of the Past Decade

200019%

underrepresented minority

8% low-income

201025%

underrepresented minority

22% low-income

Why Has It Changed?

AP was born in the 1950’s among elite Northeastern prep

schools and Ivy League universities

As the program was adopted across the nation, a culture of

“gatekeeping” grew around the program

The College Board’s mission has always emphasized college

access and success for all students

Could the College Board resolve the culture of AP and it’s

current mission?

Can AP play a role in educational reform?

– Raise educational rigor

– Develop AND implement curricular change

– Provide meaningful and useful professional development for teachers

AP directly supports our nation's educational goals

8

College Completion: AP contributes to college persistence and success. Research consistently shows that students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher graduation rates than otherwise comparable non-AP peers.

Equity in Education: AP provides rigorous academic opportunities to all students. Minority and low-income students who participate in AP, and particularly those who score a 3 or higher on the exam, are much more likely to earn a college degree within 5 years of beginning college than comparable minority and low-income students.

STEM: AP fosters achievement in science and math Students who took math or science exams were more likely than non-AP students to earn degrees in particular physical science, engineering, and life science disciplines – the fields leading to the cutting-edge careers that can help restore America’s competitiveness.

The number of Missouri students scoring 3+ on an AP Exam in 2010 was higher than the number who even took exams in 20012001 2010

Number of seniors who took an AP Exam in high school

3,463 8,364

Percentage of seniors who took an AP Exam in high school

6.4 13.4

Number of seniors who scored a 3+ on an AP Exam in high school

2,208 4,682

Percentage of seniors who scored a 3+ on an AP Exam in high school

4.1 7.5

Recent Missouri and Midwest AP Developments Missouri Senate Bill 265 - This act creates the

"Advanced Placement Incentive Grant." Any student who receives an Access Missouri award or receives funds under the A+ Schools Program and has also received a score of 3 or higher on two or more Advanced Placement tests in math or science will receive a $500 grant. In addition, a student must have earned the AP scores while attending a Missouri public high school.

Indiana Public Law 91-2010 (HB 1135) - Starting with the 2011 Advanced Placement (AP) exams, students that earn a score of 3 or higher shall receive college credit towards their degree if they attend any Indiana public institution of higher education; this includes all two and four year schools and any accompanying satellites.

Missouri AP Equity and Excellence District Honor Roll

The following Missouri school districts have opened AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. Archdiocese of St Louis Education OfficeHazelwood School DistrictKirkwood School District R-7Parkway School DistrictWebster Groves School DistrictWentzville School District R4

AP Equity and Excellence Districts of the Year Awards

The following school districts have made especially dramatic improvements among traditionally underserved student populations. They have opened AP classroom doors to a significantly broader pool of students, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. Small: West New York School District, NJMedium: Colton Joint Unified School District, CALarge: Chicago Public Schools, IL

The following district that has made a profound stride in using AP to create a culture focused on college readiness.Beacon Award: Hillsborough County Public Schools, FL

AP Field Research:College Admission Officers

Attitudes, Beliefs, Needs, Wants – What Do We Know?

Recently, the AP Program has undertaken the largest study of stakeholders’ values ever conducted by AP. Large, representative samples are being gathered from the following groups:

AP Teachers College Admissions Officers College Department Chairs AP Coordinators School and district administrators AP exam Readers Students Parents

Key Findings: College Admissions• AP’s three primary uses for admissions officers;

1) an indication of a student’s motivation to challenge him/herself2) evaluation of how prepared a student is for the rigors of college 3) evaluation of candidate’s credentials within the context of his/her own high school

• AP course and grades, not exams are most important AP factor used in admission decisions (timing and selectively are predominant issues)

• 64% of admissions officers view all AP courses equally on the transcript. Ranking for those who feel certain courses are more important than others (Math/Comp Sci/Stats (36%); Science (31%); English (26%); Language (21%))

Source: Crux Market Research Inc. (2008)

Key Findings: College Admissions (Cont)• Admissions officers have a strong interest in using AP as

a recruitment tool, but are unsure how to best incorporate this into their existing processes

• Admissions officers are supportive of AP and want to be informed/updated on a regular basis

• 71% of institutions feel their current credit/placement polices help them recruit students, while only 6% feel their current policies inhibit their ability to recruit students

• 74% of institutions currently don’t have a process in place to get AP Exam grades from their Registrar’s office; 76% of admissions officers feel AP Exam scores should also be sent to them

• 65% of admissions officers feel the AP Course Audit is extremely/very important

Source: Crux Market Research Inc. (2008)

Incorporating AP in Recruitment Strategies

AP Course Ledger– Confirmation of authorized AP courses– Targeted recruitment tool (geography, subject)– Available for download to higher education institutions and

state departments at no cost

Student Search Service (AP)

Early outreach to 10th/11th graders who have sent you AP scores

Communicate AP Credit and Placement Opportunities– AP Credit Policy Info Tool

Colleges and universities value AP Exam scores of 3

Biology n institutions = 770; English n = 753; US History n = 747; Calculus n = 771.

Benefits of AP:For Students, Schools and Educational Reform

Key Benefits of AP

AP courses establish a college-level curriculum standard in secondary schools; student performance is measured through a national assessment designed and scored by college faculty.

AP courses expose college-bound students to the study skills and habits of mind essential for success in college courses.

Students who take AP Exams and score a 3 or higher typically experience greater academic success and higher college graduation rates than non-AP students.

Because AP is widely used for college credit and/or placement, it attracts motivated students eager to double major, or engage in deeper, upper-division courses at college.

AP provides leverage for aligning and strengthening the grades 6-12 curriculum.

AP Participation and Likelihood of GraduationCollege Graduation Rate differences between “matched” AP and non-AP students*

*Students who scored a 3 or higher on AP ExamsSource: Dougherty, Mellor and Jian, 2006

Student Demographic

5-year College Graduation Rate Difference Between “Matched” AP and Non-AP Students

28% Higher28% Higher

33% Higher

26% Higher

34% Higher

AP Provides a Reliable and Consistent Indication of Rigor

• Standardized assessment

• Syllabi approved through AP Course Audit

• Courses and exams developed by faculty from many institutions

• Exams scored by subject experts

AP and College Success

Research continues to suggest that AP Exam scores of 3 or higher are consistently predictive of student college success

College Board aims to strengthen partnerships with K-12, higher education, and states to help more students earn scores of 3 or higher

College Board believes that willing and academically prepared students should be encouraged and supported in taking on the challenge of college-level courses in high school

AP students who earn exam scores of 3+ outperform non-AP students

Source: Morgan and Klaric, 2007

AP Tomorrowhttp://advancesinap.collegeboard.org

A National Research Council Report (2002) identified several opportunities to improve math and science education in the US. • Courses should emphasize deep understanding rather than comprehensive coverage.• Programs should reflect current understanding of learning in the discipline.• Programs should reflect current research directions within the disciplines.• Courses should include a strong emphasis on inquiry and reasoning.

AP Course & Exam Review: Background

AP Course & Exam Review: Curriculum Overview• AP Sciences• Reduce breadth, increase depth• Foster increased emphasis on inquiry, reasoning, and science

practice• Focus exam questions on the integration and application of

knowledge and skills, rather than simple recall of memorized facts.

• AP History• Changing the exam so that teachers have greater flexibility

to teach topics of their choice in depth. • Help students develop historical thinking skills and enduring

understanding of key concepts in history (skills measured by exam items like Document-Based Questions (DBQs), rather than memorization

• Enable students to enter college history coursework with the skills and abilities essential to further historical scholarship.

• AP World Languages• Revised the curricula to align with 21st century practices

focused on the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive and Presentational.

Course and Exam Review: Updates

Community Driven Change: AP Biology Committee

Community Driven Change: Biology Departments Endorsements

Questions? …and Thank You!

Marc Geslani – mgeslani@collegeboard.org

AP STEM Students Typically Take More Courses in the Discipline Than Non-AP Students

Source: AP Students in College: An Analysis of Five-Year Academic Trends (2007)Rick Morgan and John Klaric.

AP Students: At least one related

course

Non-AP Students: At

least one related course

AP Students: Number of

courses in the discipline

Non-AP Students:

Number of courses in the

discipline

Biology 63% 59% 4.5 2.6

Chemistry 71% 56% 5.5 2.7

Physics B 72% 59% 8.2 4.2

Computer Science

58% 28% 3.7 0.9

Calculus AB 84% 90% 7.7 5.7

Calculus BC 89% 90% 10.7 5.7

AP students typically take as many if not more courses in a related discipline than non-AP students

Source: Morgan and Klaric, 2007