"We believe that the APTIP program will have a positive impact on enrollment in AP classes and on student achievement on College Board exams. The APTIP incentives demonstrate that hard work and achievement pay dividends, both in the short term and in the long run. In the long run, our students will be better prepared for college and career due to the effort they exert and skills they learn in Advanced Placement courses."
By: Georgeanne Warnock,Principal RL Turner HS, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD - September 19, 2011
Our Partners Share Their Thoughts on Advanced Placement Strategies, Inc.
From: The Austin American Statesman, Letters to the Editor, Wednesday July 21, 2010
Re: July 11 article "Deal offers perks for grades."
I was fortunate to be a teacher at Pflugerville High School when the Advanced Placement Strategies grant was initiated. Time, commitment, patience and preparation by dedicated teachers and leaders made the program successful. It has transformed education in various arenas, including teacher preparedness, teacher effectiveness, student achievement, student confidence, significant cost savings for students earning college credit while still in high school and certainly rigor and relevance in college-bound prep classes. The PISD community is grateful to the generous donors who over the years made the program a successful reality in so many classrooms for so many folks. Proudly, our teachers are teaching other teachers the best practices in the noted disciplines. Proudly, our graduates are earning scholarships and also have proven their college readiness and success in recognized careers.
Thanks to the donors of this worthy grant for making a difference with our teachers and students.
By: Vernagene Mott, Retired PHS Pre-AP math teacher, Pflugerville
Our partnership with AP Strategies through the AP Incentive Program has contributed to increased rigor in the classroom…and not just AP classrooms. The strategies our teachers are learning are finding their way into regular classrooms as teachers share ideas with one another. The Advanced Placement emphasis contributed positively to the creation of a college-ready culture throughout our district. We have moved from fewer than 1,000 tests taken to more than 2,400 tests taken in just five years. Students no longer say, “I can’t.” Now, they know college is a possibility. What a difference it has made in their lives!
By: Kirk Lewis, Ed.D. Superintendent, Pasadena ISD
We support AP Strategies because of their program’s proven results in increasing AP qualifying scores at high-need schools in Dallas, Houston, Austin and across Texas. Since AP exam achievement leads to greater academic performance in college, this program is critical in ensuring students don’t just get to college but also succeed once there.
By: Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
AP Strategies is having a game-changing impact not only in Texas, but also around the United States. We are replicating the rigorous APS methodology around the country because experience confirms that it dramatically improves the academic climate in public schools. And by opening doors to college for thousands of students, year after year, it is changing lives. APS is showing a new generation of Americans how to reach for excellence.
By: Tom Luce, Board of Directors, National Math and Science Initiative, former Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
"Rigorous Advanced Placement coursework plays a significant role in students being college ready. Dallas ISD has made tremendous gains in AP student participation and performance and we are thankful that AP Strategies have been our partners in this work."
By: Dr. Liliana Valadez, DISD Executive Director, Advanced Academics
"The Dallas ISD partnership with the APS program through grants with the O'Donnell Foundation and Texas Instruments has changed the culture of our schools and brought national attention to the AP accomplishments of our students and teachers. In particular, the underserved populations have responded to the APS challenge by not only participating, but also excelling in AP classes - which prepares them for the rigors of college and the demands of the workplace. Our teachers have been inspired and motivated to encourage those students to levels of success not previously seen or imagined."
By: Michael Hinojosa, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools, Dallas ISD
The Value of Advanced Placement™ Exams & Courses
"College entrance exams reveal that young people who take challenging classes, such as Advanced Placement courses, perform better than their peers regardless of their family or financial background"
By: Rod Paige, United States Secretary of Education, 2001-2005
"AP courses more and more are becoming factors in [college] admissions decisions, so if the student does not have access to an AP course, there's an equity issue there."
By: Kay Wilson Education Manager, K-12 Services Southwest Region, The College Board
"One of the best standard predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement Examinations."
By: William R. Fitzsimmons Dean of Admissions, Harvard University
"If students avoid challenges in their course selection, they're probably not going to be good candidates, no matter what their grades, test scores, or extracurricular activities are."
By: Michael Behnke, Director of Admissions 1985-1997, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"We prefer AP-level work and accord such work more weight in our evaluation of the curriculum an applicant has chosen."
By: Tony Strickland, Former Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill