Ringgold joins college credit initiative
A new program at Ringgold High School is helping students on their way to receiving college credit while still in high school.
Last week, the Ringgold school board approved a memorandum of understanding with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) college readiness program that includes a grant which funds all teacher and student supports for Advanced Placement (AP) classes, standardized high school courses in certain subjects, followed by an exam in that subject, which can earn them college credit and a jumpstart in placement in higher education.
According to Jackie Castma, college readiness program manager for southwestern Pennsylvania, the program’s initiative is not only to increase AP course participation, but to vastly improve their success when they take the test that guarantees college credits for those who receive at least a score of 3 out of 5.
“AP is a vehicle to college readiness,” Castma said. “They need to have AP experience in high school.”
Based on data from the College Board, who administers the AP exams, the first-year increase in qualifying math, science and English exam scores among NMSI partner schools is 68 percent – more than 10 times the national average of 6.6 percent.
Success of the NMSI College Readiness program is twofold — mentoring AP teachers and providing peer study groups through collaboration with other schools. Ringgold will be working with teachers and students from Chartiers Valley, Peters Township, West Allegheny and Deer Lakes school districts.
Dr. Jeff Matty, Ringgold School District assistant superintendent, said school officials are thrilled to have the program.
“It will offer both our students and teachers opportunities to excel through rigorous course work, collaborative study groups and teacher mentoring,” he said. “We look forward to celebrating our successes with the community.”
NMSI provides teacher mentoring during a summer, this year at Peters Township High School, as well as training throughout the school year.
The program also hosts student study sessions throughout the year. Chartiers Valley hosts the math sessions, Peters Township hosts the science sessions and West Allegheny hosts the English sessions.
“This provides another chance for the students to collaborate with other students,” Castma said. “It’s a chance for them to review what they did in their classes. Students may say, ‘Oh, that way of showing it make sense to me.'”
The three Saturday sessions is equal to three weeks of additional classroom instruction based on a 40-minute class, Castma said.
The program, according to Castma, is designed to make AP courses accessible to more students.
“We want AP open to students who are serious about attending college,” Castma said. “We support students already taking AP courses, but empower schools to identify students who will be successful through AP class.”
NMSI was formed in 2007 by leaders in education and industry who identified gaps in STEM education. In addition to the high school AP initiative, there is a Laying the Foundation program. It provides “pre-AP” training for teachers as early as third grade. As many as 40 Ringgold teachers are expected to participate in Laying the Foundation.
“More and more students need to arrive into high school ready to handle the rigors of AP courses,” Castma said.
Castma said one in three students in college require remediation that does not include credits toward receipt of a degree.
“We celebrate the threes, fours and fives,” Castma said, noting the passing scores on AP tests. “But we also celebrate the students who take AP courses as well. The true success lies in their experience.”