Plymouth North High School and Plymouth South High School are now participating
in Mass Insight Education’s AP STEM and English Program, which encourages more
students to take AP classes in effort to increase their confidence while
providing them with the academic skills they need to succeed in post-secondary
education. The AP Stem and English program is a key part of Mass Insight
Education’s innovative College Success Campaign. The AP STEM and English program
is funded through a combination of state, district and philanthropic support.
Annually, more than 10,000 students at more than 75 Mass Insight Education
partner schools take part in the program. These schools quickly double or triple
their enrollment in AP classes and double the number of students earning
qualifying scores of three or higher on the AP exam. Mass Insight Education is a
national nonprofit dedicated to improving student achievement and increasing
college success through bold district restructuring and rigorous academic
programs.
“If you give students who are generally not considered a shot at
this level of work and you provide them with the support they need, they too can
demonstrate outstanding achievement,” says Michael Contompasis, Mass Insight
Education executive chairman and former superintendent of the Boston Public
Schools.
Each year, Mass Insight Education adds high schools to its
roster. The partner schools underwent an evaluation and have committed to the
program goals of increasing both the number of students taking AP classes and
the number of students getting a qualifying score.
“I think anytime we can provide
extra support that’s new and exciting and challenging to students, we welcome
that opportunity,” says Principal Kathleen McSweeney of Plymouth North high
School. “ I think the AP gives students a rigorous academic experience that
equates with the rigor of college. They will be more prepared for the intensity
of college work.”
Mass Insight Education supports
its AP students in several ways, including hosting a series of weekend classes
to help them better prepare for their AP exams. The experience of taking an AP
class shows the students the level of work they will need to do in college and
inspires many to enroll in college who previously thought themselves incapable
of that work. Getting a qualifying score earns them college credit, thus
allowing them to finish college quicker at a lower cost. Statistics show that 78
percent of MIE students who took at least one AP math, science or English course
in high school attended a two or four year college after graduating high school.
Ninety three percent of them persisted through two years of college and 82
percent either graduated or are still in school four years after graduating from
high school. Mass Insight Education also provides extra training for AP teachers
to strengthen their skills to make them even better teachers.
Attending college is more
important than ever for today’s youth. Seventy percent of all jobs will require
a college degree by 2020. Those who graduate with at least an associate’s degree
have the ability to earn $42,000 annually, while those with a high school
diploma or the equivalent earn on average $21,000. In Massachusetts, that puts
them below the poverty line. Each additional year it takes to earn a degree can
cost a student thousands of dollars. If they fail to finish college, they leave
with debt and diminished earning potential. Mass Insight Education’s AP STEM and
English program gives its students the experience and skills necessary to
succeed in college, thus empowering them to benefit both themselves and their
communities for years to come.
