|
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
Office of the Governor
Timothy M. Kaine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor
May 14, 2009
Contact: Gordon
Hickey Jennifer
Stevens/VASS
Phone: (804)
225-4260 (434)
572-5447
Cell Phone: (804)
291-8977 (434)222-8754
Internet:
www.governor.virginia.gov
www.virginiaadvancedstudystrategies.org/
GOVERNOR KAINE ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS
OF 2009 ADVANCED PLACEMENT GRANTS
~ 11 additional schools receive
grants to boost AP enrollment and achievement ~
RICHMOND– Governor
Timothy M. Kaine today joined Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS) to
announce the selection of 11 additional schools to receive five-year Advanced
Placement Training and Incentive Program grants designed to increase students’
enrollment and qualifying scores in Advanced Placement courses in mathematics,
science and English. Governor Kaine also commended VASS for its initial success
in the 14 schools announced last March. In this first group of schools chosen to
participate, student enrollment in AP math, science, and English courses has
increased from 1100 in 2007-2008 to more than 2600 in 2008-2009.
“This second round of AP grants will help
us continue to move beyond competence to excellence,” Governor Kaine said. “We
know these classes show results, and increasing enrollment will prepare even
more young people to compete in the 21st century global
marketplace.”
Participation in the Advanced Placement
Training and Incentive Program allows schools to receive extensive teacher
training, new classroom equipment and materials, financial incentives for both
students and teachers, and ongoing support services from VASS.
The 2009 VASS grant recipients
are:
- Randolph
Henry High School,
Charlotte
County Public
Schools
- Cosby
High
School, Chesterfield County
Public
Schools
- Lloyd
C. Bird
High
School, Chesterfield County
Public
Schools
- Matoaca
High
School, Chesterfield County
Public
Schools
- Monacan
High
School, Chesterfield County
Public
Schools
- Hermitage
High
School, Henrico County
Public
Schools
- John
Randolph Tucker
High
School, Henrico County
Public
Schools
- Gretna
High
School, Pittsylvania County
Public
Schools
- Parry
McCluer High School,
Buena Vista
City Public
Schools
- Patrick
Henry High School,
Roanoke
City Public
Schools
- Patrick
Henry High School,
Washington
County Public
Schools
Project schools must commit to the
initiative for five years through a letter of agreement with VASS. Schools must
also demonstrate a willingness to overcome obstacles to increasing AP
participation and performance by adding AP classes, altering AP access policies,
actively recruiting students who might not normally seek rigorous coursework,
and making adjustments to school calendars, if needed, to support the AP
program.
“The schools that have participated in the
first year of our program have made significant gains in developing a culture of
academic excellence,” said Paul C. Nichols, III, President of VASS. “Enrollment
in math, science, and English AP classes has increased by over 150%, teachers
are reporting that they are getting the best training and support of any program
they have participated in, and classroom activities are focusing on lab-work and
creative thinking more than preparation for multiple choice tests. We expect the
same opportunities for this second cohort of schools joining us this year.”
Advanced Placement coursework, administered
by the College Board, offers students the opportunity to experience
college-level work and to earn college credit during high school. The shared
goal of VASS and the College Board is to provide Virginia’s students
with the skills and knowledge needed to compete in the 21st century global
economy.
Virginia
is one of six states to receive funding from the National Math and Science
Initiative (NMSI) to support training and incentive programs for AP and pre-AP
courses. Additional donor partners are the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and
Community Revitalization Commission, Dominion, Halifax Educational Foundation,
Altria, and Old Dominion Electric Cooperative.
|
