Students attending Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools will get $100 for passing certain Advanced Placement exams, and their teachers will net the same amount for each student who earns a passing score, under a grant announced today by Harford County Public Schools and the National Math and Science Initiative.
Awarded by the NMSI Initiative for Military Families, the grant is a first in the state of Maryland.
Gregg Fleisher, NMSI national director of the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program, said that the monetary incentives get attention, but are a “small part of what we do.” Fleisher said that the initiative scales up proven educational programs, leading to increases in the numbers of passing scores on AP exams in math, science and English.
Designed to reach students from military families, who often endure multiple moves and parental absences due to deployment, the goal of the program is to provide consistent, high-level math and science education. The three-year grant program will include:
• Intensive training and supports for AP teachers, including an on-call AP subject area expert
• More time on task for students, including tutoring and study sessions after school and on Saturdays, adding up to an extra two weeks of class time for students and teachers
• Monetary incentives for success on the AP exams
In addition to earning $100 for passing scores, students will pay half the usual AP exam fee ($87 for HCPS students) and teachers will be eligible for an additional $1,000 per year for hitting the targeted number of students with passing scores, Fleisher said. The program is limited to AP exams in math, science and English.
Morgan Sulzbach, a sophomore at Aberdeen HS, said that the incentives caught the attention of high school students. “The money means a lot,” she said, especially for those who plan to take more than one AP exam.
While targeting Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools because of their large number of students in military families and proximity to Aberdeen Proving Ground, the program will be open to all AP students in math, science and English at each of the two schools. The initiative will begin with AP classes starting this fall and the AP exams given in the spring of 2013. Fleisher said that while students will have to meet prerequisites, the idea is to remove barriers to student participation through open enrollment.
Results will be tracked at each school, Fleisher said, and goals have been set for the number of exams with passing scores. Teri Kranefeld, manager of communications for HCPS, provided the following information about the targets set at each school:
“Aberdeen [HS] agreed to increase the number of qualifying scores on AP MSE (Math, Science and English) exams from 123 (2010-2011) to 257 in 2014-2015.
Havre de Grace High agreed to increase the number of qualifying scores on AP MSE exams from 24 (2010-2011) to 74 in 2014-2015.”
Kranefeld said that each school will increase AP participation and add courses in some AP subjects.
Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools will each receive $150,000 per year for three years through the NMSI grant, which was awarded to the two Harford County public schools following a competitive process. Grant funding for the Aberdeen HS program will be provided by The Boeing Company; funding for Havre de Grace will be provided by Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). Both organizations are among the public and private partners in NMSI.
While lauding the opportunity for students in Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools, HCPS Superintendent Robert Tomback said that the results from those schools will be used to make the case to the business community to expand the program to all ten public high schools in the county. “That’s where we’re going…this is the beginning,” Tomback said. Expressing confidence in the outcomes at Aberdeen and Havre de Grace, Tomback concluded, “We believe the results will be breathtaking.”
Below is the press release from Harford County Public Schools:
ABERDEEN AND HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOLS CELEBRATE NMSI ADVANCED PLACEMENT INITIATIVE LAUNCH
Two Harford County high schools net AP grant award opportunity to benefit military families
A celebratory kick-off event for Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools held today at the Harford County Public Schools A.A. Roberty Building marked the launch of the National Mathematics and Science Initiative (NMSI) Initiative for Military Families (IMF) program expansion in Maryland. NMSI National Director of the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) Gregg Fleisher, Principal Assistant Director for National Security and International Affairs at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arun A. Seraphin, Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Marilee Fitzgerald, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Major General Robert Ferrell, Board of Education of Harford County President Leonard Wheeler, Superintendent of Schools Robert Tomback, representatives from The Boeing Company, among many other school system employees and Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools students and staff , were on site to celebrate the event.
Serving over 350 military families alone, Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools educate and inspire many students that have one or both parents serving in the military. Many of those students may experience the hardship of having at least one parent deployed overseas. The IMF provides college-level coursework in science, math, and English for students of military families. While it is the goal of the IMF to provide excellence and continuity for students whenever and wherever their military families are transferred, all students in participating schools may benefit from the program.
The grant funding, provided by Boeing for Aberdeen High School and DoDEA for Havre de Grace High School, will provide NMSI’s highly-successful Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP). Both schools submitted a grant application and NMSI conducted formal site visits and assessments to gauge focus, commitment, and potential success of APTIP. The APTIP was launched in 2010 in four schools and in the first year, the AP math, science and English scores increased 45 percent which was almost six times the national average.
“APTIP is equipping our students from military families to compete on the global stage,” said Gregg Fleisher, the National Director of APTIP for NMSI. He pointed out that research indicates that students passing AP courses in high school are three times more likely to complete a college degree. Further, AP students are among the few American students who compare favorably with their counterparts in other countries on internationally ranked math and science exams.
The goal of the APTIP program is to increase the number of students enrolled in math, science, and English Advanced Placement (AP) courses. In addition, the program is designed to increase the number of students receiving qualifying scores of three or greater on the AP exams. The four-tiered program incorporates teacher support (high quality, content-focused teacher training in addition to teacher mentoring and vertical teaming), student support (encouraging open enrollment and academic tutoring and study sessions), incentive awards (awards for student and teacher performance), and program management (employing expert teams and strong partners) as the proven elements of success.
“Boeing is proud to support the expansion of the National Math and Science Initiative’s Initiative for Military Families into the Aberdeen Proving Ground community,” said Waldo Carmona, director of Networked Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “This important program ensures that military family members from the community have access to enhanced educational opportunities, particularly in the areas of science and technology, as they prepare for college. Boeing is committed to supporting our nation’s military and their families here in Maryland and helping prepare the future workforce for careers in technology and innovation.”
When asked what this opportunity means for her school, Havre de Grace junior Monique Watson stated, “…I believe it will generate an excitement for coursework that will elevate our studies to the next level. Having this opportunity will give me the ability to accelerate my path to a college degree and give me a competitive edge moving forward that I may not have otherwise received. On behalf of our students, I want to thank NMSI, Boeing and DoDEA for investing in our futures.”
Specific goals for increased AP participation and qualifying scores have been set for both schools and the accountability piece will be tracked and assessed by NMSI at the conclusion of each of the next three school years. NMSI requires strict observance of the four program elements to ensure the success of the initiative.
“We know that participation in AP coursework gives our students the academic edge over others as they prepare for post-secondary education and futures beyond the classroom,” said Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Robert M. Tomback. “In order to provide the rigor and opportunity in STEM related fi elds, our Board of Education has identified increased AP participation and qualifying scores for all students as a focus through our strategic plan. We are excited and grateful that NMSI, Boeing and DoDEA will be providing the fiscal and academic resources to assist us in that endeavor for Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools, two of our high schools that are home to many students whose parents serve our country.”
For additional information about the National Mathematics Science Initiative APTIP, please contact Rena Pederson, NMSI communications director at (214) 665-2523 or rpederson@nationalmathandscience.org. For more information, visit www.nationalmathandscience.org.
About the Boeing Company: Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. A top U.S. exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training.
About APTIP: APTIP dramatically increases the performance of high school students in rigorous AP courses in math, science and English. The comprehensive approach includes intensive teacher training, support from master teachers, increased time on task for students in special study sessions, open enrollment, and incentives for teachers and students. Passing AP exam scores are almost universally accepted for course credit by the nation’s colleges and universities, which see success in AP courses as reliable indicators of students’ subject area knowledge and capacity for college-level thinking.
About NMSI: NMSI is an agent of change that was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education and science to improve student achievement in math and science across the American public school system.
NMSI’s mission is to bring best practices to the education sector by replicating proven programs on a national scale that have more than 10 years of proven results. NMSI has received major funding support for its groundbreaking national incentives from Exxon Mobil Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, with additional support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
We are in a recession and the government is giving 100 to each student and teacher. That equals 200. Why? Now they have grants for being a good student. I think the ACLU should sue. What about all the students that are flunking? Don’t they at least get 50?
This is a PRIVATE Public partnership. Most of the money is coming from Boeing which last I checked is a PRIVATE company. How they spend their money is totally on them. Or do you not believe in a free market.
That the money is coming from private industry does not negate the fact that this program results in a manipulation the school system priorities. Schedules and class offerings will have to be adjusted to accommodate a greater number of AP courses. What non AP courses will be dropped or class sizes increased to make room?
Aberdeen is not offering honors level classes for the most part, forcing kids to take either “regular level” or AP. Definitely going to crowd the AP classes.
That might have something to do with the poor performance of HCPS students on the AP exams. Students that do not belong in AP classes (but are put there because it looks good for the school system) are holding others back, and students that would benefit from a more rigorous honors classes are left to languish in standard courses.
Not actually true. Aberdeen offers lots of honors level classes, they make up a lot of my schedule and are not very crowded. Also in my AP classes, everyone there is capable and like the challenge, so no one is holding anyone back.
That may be true and the school system could turn it down but that has zero to do with it being a recession!
CDEV…..boeing has government contracts….PUBLIC MONEY….do you buy plane tickets……YEAH OK
Once Boeing provided the service it did to the government the money they earned and how they spend it is up to them. If we follow your logic anyone who works for Boeing is subject to having their expenses scrutinized as public money.
It doesn’t say “MOST” is coming from Boeing. The article simply states that the program is funded by Boeing and DODEA. No percentages are provided.
When you consider that Aberdeen has two times the enrollment then Havre de Grace!
The Baltimore City school system tried something like this a few years ago by paying students to get good grades. It was a complete flop and a colossal waste of money. It had almost no impact and when the money went away so did the grades.
I think a difference is that Baltimore used an internal measure which they can manipulate to measure preformance. This uses an external measure with an AP test score.
If you read the article, ALL of the money going to HdG High is from the DoD. A govt entity.
Forget that. My question is, if the fund is intended for the children of military families, how come it’s distributed to any student that passes? Why isn’t it limited to just the children of military families?
You see, I don’t begrudge the others the money, it is just emblematic of govt programs that are ever expanding, with no regard to all of that free money that the govt can say YOU don’t need and take from YOU in greater and greater degrees.
As for Boeing, the Private entity, they can spend as much as they want, because, you see, I DO believe in the free market system. Coupled with a belief that the fed govt, the Public entity of that partnership, has an obligation to properly manage tax dollars. Not throw those tax dollars around like they earned it and can do as they please with it.
This little program is just an example of the mindset. If it were the only one doing it, no one would ever give it a second thought. The problem is that it is multiplied by EVERY program of EVERY bureaucracy of the Govt, on EVERY level.
That’s why we have the GSA dropping $800,000 on THEMSELVES with YOUR money.
They got it like that, don’t cha know. (sarc)
And THAT is wrong.
What does this mean for the students enrolled in the Math & Science Academy at AHS? Most of these kids are already doing well in Math, Science and I suspect English too.
Its kind of interesting that the program picked HdG while APG-South/Edgewood is located within a mile of Edgewood HS…
“While lauding the opportunity for students in Aberdeen and Havre de Grace high schools, HCPS Superintendent Robert Tomback said that the results from those schools will be used to make the case to the business community to expand the program to all ten public high schools in the county.”
Only interesting in that they believe it wouldn’t succeed as much at other locations, probably, and the program wouldn’t later get expanded.
This may not be the case, but it seems probable.
Note I’m not saying it’s the right or wrong decision, just seems like the rationale to me.
Could be because Edgewood has many students enrolled in IB and not AP.
The best way to improve AP scores is to not teach them in a block schedule. That’s something that could be done to improve scores across the county.
I’d have to disagree. I teach an AP science course in the county and absolutely love the block because you can actually get in some real quality discussion, lecture and activity without having to break it up. Most students agree and would much prefer the every other day over daily 40+minute classes where by the time you sit down you pretty much have to get up and go.
There are plenty of ways to improve scores, but this is not one of them.
So who decides what teacher gets to teach this at the chance for another few thousand dollars every year? That seems a bit unfair.
Also, the teachers who did a fantastic job getting those students to a level where they could even take an AP class, get nothing. While teachers who have seniority can reap the rewards of many?
It takes a village to raise a child.
I remember reading something in earlier Dagger articles about the poor performance of AP students attending HdG and AB HS (other than those in the M&S program). Is the school system going to pull in the best AP teachers (as proven by AP exam scores) from around the county to teach these classes or rely on those already in place at AB and HdG?
Are they truly the best AP teachers? Or just teachers of the best AP students?
I’m so tired of these blanket statements that laud and bash teachers when there are obvious variables that are being overlooked.
When the block schedule was first implemented as a schoolwide mandate, HCPS hired consultants from Towson University to look at what changes had occurred in the first year. One of the glaring problems was at Havre de Grace High School wherein the SAT scores dropped substantially and AP scores also. If you look at the College Board website, there is amble evidence that students who are unfortunately subjected to the block schedule did worse in both math and science and also foreign language. Now we are PAYING extra for instruction time that the school system took away years ago and they know how detrimental it is to student outcomes. They knew it years ago and completely ignored the data that the taxpayers paid for. Seems like a small group of people are making lots of money on “education.”
This is great and all, but really puts a bitter taste in the mouths of other AP teachers, who are also working hard at other schools, putting in all of this time and energy to help their kids…. but no pay for them. That is a lot of money per student.
If it is successful than they too can get payed eventually!
After doing some internet research I found that the grant is awarded to schools that have a certain percentage of students whose parents work for the DoD. Apparently only HdG and AB HS’s meet this criteria which would preclude an expansion on this grant to other schools in Harford County. I wish the leadership of HCPS would present information that was completely accurate. Any expansion of a similar program to pay students, teachers, and school administrators in all high schools would have to funded by county taxpayers. I can think of many other ways for the school system to use their financial resources that do not include spending my tax money for supplement families that are financially able to pay AP fees out their own pocket or incur additional costs for services that teachers and administrators for which they already receive a salary.
Yes it seems the DOD money, while public, is part of the DOD fund for local impact of a base. This is the money the DOD kicks in for things like schools to negate the fact that a high percentage of it’s employees will send their kids to school their while paying taxes in another state.
wow, our country has really went this low that they have to play students to do well. what has this country turned into? we are the stupidest country and we pay students for doing well. the motivation for school should be their without the pay. kids in other countries look to being someone, to get out of the bad neighborhoods they live in. and what does our country do? pay students. i get it that it motivates them because i go to Patterson mill high school but extra cirricular activities should be a motivation or a good future not the 100$ that will be spent mostly on something that is not important.
How much would it cost for a capital letter? Come on, it’s not that hard to push the shift key! No — I don’t care about your age…what’s right is right. We need to have standards if we don’t want to be the “stupidest country.”
A note on country to country comparrisons. Most people fail to realize in most of the countries that do well the mentally handicapped are removed from the equation. We are one of the few nations that attempt to get all kids to graduate high school. Most do not educate special needs children and many weed out kids at about 13 who are going to be tradesman and remove them from school and thus the calculation used.
That would leave us with too few students to calculate a reliable statistic…
Cdev,
If you are a teacher you should know that the school system does not use the term mentally handicapped. These students are called a student with a disability. This is not relevant to AP testing. I am a special education teacher in the county and have had 3 children go through the Fallston schools. I did not encourage any of them to take an AP class because I just wanted them to concentrate on their specific classes to graduate instead of stressing them over classes that half the time do not count in college. They were all involved in clubs and sports. All 3 of my kids have college degrees from the University of MD and West Virginia University. Why should the students and teachers of Aberdeen and HavredeGrace get paid and the other schools who have many more AP students who actually pass the test! Let’s make it equal for all the students in the county.! Did you get paid from the schools for good grades! I think not. Just saying!
I actually teach at a school for students with disabilities. I am aware of the PC term used. Shall I say most other countries do not educate by mainstreaming students with disabilities who have a significant intellectual impairment. Students whom we continue to push to get diplomas (which I believe is the correct thing to do) do not get to go to school in countries like Finland. You will not see Autistic students in A Japanese school. In Australia a child with Cerebral Palsy will not go to school. A kid with a cognitive impairment will not get an education in Iceland. A child with ODD will not earn a diploma in Sweden. These students are not tested or counted in the multitude of World Education rankings where as we do test these kids and more and push them on for a diploma. In New Zealand you take a test in the 8th grade and only the cream of the crop go on to high school. These are the only students these rankings evaluate. That was my point in reply to the comment above mine and I am aware that has nothing to do with AP scores.
As to your second question why???? That is who the grant is for. That is who Boeing and the DOD said they would pay for. Since you sent kids to Fallston Schools…..should we be fair and tell the Youth’s Benefit Fund that they should also invest in other elementary schools? NO! We would not ask the Greater Edgewood Educational Excellence Foundation to pay for programs at North Harford. We should not ask the Military Contractor and the department of defense who want to put the money in schools with the most military dependent children to fund other schools.
If i doesn’t work we will find that out without sinking a dime of our local money into it to find it out. If it does we can expand it and seek out private funds if we want to help expand it!
@CDEV
GEEF has changed their name to the Greater Excellence in Education Foundation. The decision to change the name is the result of their intention to expand operations beyond the Edgewood community.
I stand corrected but when they wanted to remain in Edgewood did HCPS say sorry you must spend your money in Fallston? No, It is not HCPS money they don’t get to dictate the terms it is offered at they can simply refuse it. If that is the case fine….but I suspect some who are flying the banner of “discrinating against other schools” are complaining because it is not their school and if it was their school recieving this program as the test school they would have no problems!!!!
Incidently when I was in High School I did not get paid by the school for the 5 in AP Bio, 5 in AP Calc BC, 5 in AP Statistics, 4 in AP Physics BC and 3 in AP Chemistry as well as the 3 in AP US History and 4 in AP European History I recieved. I did get paid with a vehicle from my dad at graduation from college for saving him money on college!
Quit stealing my name, I would find actual facts to nitpick instead of one’s grammar or spelling.
So let me get this straight. We shelled out $522 for my son’s AP tests this spring and he has friends who aren’t taking the tests because they can’t afford them and yet other students are going to get paid $100 a test for passing just because they go to another school? Is it too late for my son to transfer and collect his $600? I’d like to thank his wonderful AP teachers who do such an outstanding job without getting the extra money.
Doesn’t make much sense does it?
This sets a bad precedent. Students shouldn’t be paid for good grades. They should study hard and do well because its the right thing to do.
And how many kids will sit in an AP class trying to get the money, taking up a seat for someone that actually could use it?
Greater enrollment means more sections! Not taking spaces!
Given the work load an AP class puts on a teacher, would you give that new section to the current teacher (increasing their nightly work load significantly, especially for English and history classes) or assign a different teacher to teach an AP class section for the first time? I would be extremely unhappy as a parent if my kid ended up with the new AP teacher vs the experienced AP teacher.
Every experienced AP teacher had a first AP class. New or inexperienced doesn’t necessarily mean poor quality instruction.
It would depend on the staff availible. When I taught High School I taught three sections of AP Biology. If you added a fourth section it would simply have meant more materials and prepping more lab kits and grading more of the same papers and tests but it would have replaced planning for a whole other class. Incidently My first year teaching AP Bio I was the preferred teacher by the serious students since the other “more experienced teacher” never did labs had them read the book and essentially gave out grades and had a track record of mediocre pass rates! As was said in a school who is preparing staff within a department one would think you would laterally team a teacher by having them teach things like Anatomy and Phys or other courses a serious AP bio student should be taking.
Additionally motivated teachers go to the plethora of College Board taught wworkshops before teaching it in order to become better prepared for the rigors of AP.
Doesn’t mean more sections. Just means more students in the classroom. AP classes are usually really low in number 10-15. But the more they push for these kids to take at least one they will max out at 24.
Sorry not all kids are AP material and like everything else, we are dumbing it down more just to manipulate the data. Coming down the pike to is teachers evaluations being at least 50% based on student performance. Makes you wonder if the data on AP exams is true or being manipulated to earn more money and keep job.
I taught three AP Bio sections of 20-28. It depends on the school. Ideally you want smaller class sizes but larger class sizes can work in an AP class.
From what I researched, teachers and students must work several Saturdays and evening sessions. These sessions are part of the deal. I guess that information might have been useful. I was told that several days in the summer are required for special training. I guess if you divide the extra dollars by the extra time, it really doesn’t seem to be that attractive of a windfall. If it sounds too good to be true, it is usually because the devil is in the details or the lack of any.
It is worth it to the teachers that are looking to get extra money any way they can. My child’s teachers stay after school and do evening and even weekend sessions, and they don’t do it for extra pay. They should get paid as they are going above and beyond to assist their AP students! They do it because they want to give the best opportunity for success for these kids. I can’t imagine how they feel though, knowing that their counterparts in the county are getting paid for doing the same, or even less than they are for free.
Why are they looking to get money anyway they can? Perhaps, they might need a cost of living adjustment? Oh, I forgot that we can’t afford to do that. Where are all our tax dollars going?
I find it remarkable that some of those who argue we should only pay good teachers more money and have merit pay are against this idea. This is essentially Merit Pay for those teachers!
and it negates the student apathy factor by offering them an insentive to reach the goal!
Students taking AP classes shouldn’t be apathetic. If they were they would have chosen the less challenging level of the same course.
Not sure when the last time you walked into an AP class was but you have many apathetic students looking to inflate GPA’s with enabling parents who complain when Johnny gets a C and tries to pressure you into turning it into an A.
Often times these students are not allowed to “opt out” or choose the less challenging version of the course, whether it is because their parents or their guidance counselors insist that they be placed in the AP class.
How can a counselor insist that a student take an AP course? And how can a parent insist that a student be enrolled in an AP course when those that know a students academic ability best (teachers) say they are not able or motivated enough to be successful in an AP class? Oh, I forgot. What is most important for some are the numbers of students taking AP courses not that they have a reasonable expectation to pass the course or the exam.
We have, as a society, devalued the opinion of someone who has gone to college and been trained to be a teacher. This is why. “Johnny is not ready for this AP course.” “I don’t care I want him to get into a good college and they look at his transcripts and see he was in AP.” …..(FFD) “Why did Johnny get a D in AP XXXXX?” “Johnny was not able to complete the work according to the rigorous standards.” “You are being to difficult.”
@ CDEV So who is responsible for this sad state of affairs and how can it be corrected?
Lot’s of different people or groups of people. If I had the answer I would be rich perhaps. If you want conjecture than I can offer it.
My impression from speaking with school staff in a local school system is that the school was measured on the numbers of students who took and passed AP tests, so there was an incentive for the school to steer students toward these classes, whether they really should have been there or not.
There is a county mandate (from the superintendent) to get as many kids as possible into AP classes. This is because U.S. News & World Report and other news magazines who put out annual lists of top high schools in the country gets such lists from the College Board (the company that designs AP courses and sells the tests), and the College Boards rankings are based on how many AP tests are taken in given schools. So the more kids in the classes, the more will take the tests, and the more likely it is the HCPS will show up on one of those lists.
So that’s where the push comes from. The more kids who take AP courses, the sooner Dr. Tomback gets the feather in his cap that will help him move onward and upward.
From the POV of a former (recently graduated from AHS) student: with all of its obvious pros, this plan has some more subtle drawbacks. I dropped out of AP English in my junior year because the class was designed specifically around the AP test, rather than the subject of English Language. In Honors English, I learned much more about English and literature and writing than I otherwise would have (I’ve done very well in all of my college English and writing classes). In AP Calculus, my teacher taught the subject of calculus with an enthusiasm any student should hope for, while she also occasionally helped expose us to the style of the AP test (in addition to a large percentage of the class earning scores of 4 and 5 on the test, she helped students like me fall in love with calculus).
A teacher’s job is to teach and inspire and encourage, while helping to prepare kids for the future (a future that may or may not include even taking the AP test for that class). While all of this is anecdotal and maybe even irrelevant, my bottom line is this: I sincerely hope that teachers don’t forget that they are teaching children a subject, not a test.
Make no mistake when your job security will in large measure (50% under new state guidelines) is dependent upon how students do on a test that is exactly what teachers will be teaching. While everyone complains that they do not want instruction given this way legislators and ivory tower education types ensure that is just what students will get.
Too true! When my half performance appraisal (think step increase if we ever get one again…) is based upon test results – you better believe that test is the ONLY thing I’ll teach. If Joe Flacco’s job with the Ravens depends on touchdown passes – why in the world would he spend one minute practicing kicking field goals? It may be true field goals are part of the game, but if that touchdown is how he is evaluated – it’s a no brainer.
This just seem so unfair on so many levels I don’t know where to start…
some kids are eligible, some teachers, some schools. Government funded discrimination… brilliant.
Boeing is the government?
@CDEV, No, but I believe the DoD is…
“The grant funding, provided by Boeing for Aberdeen High School and DoDEA for Havre de Grace High School, will provide NMSI’s highly-successful Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP).”
I suppose since they don’t actually specify where the money came from, the DoD might have take up a collection… pass the hat around at the office sort of thing…
DoDEA is part of the DoD and taked with providing educational activities to DoD employee’s children world wide. That traditionally is running schools in Germany etc. Their budget is meant to impact the DoD children whose families are resident’s of say Florida and do not get to use the Public Schools in Florida they pay for because of their parents job. Apperently to qualify for this funding you must have a high percentage of students who are Military dependents. Only two schools meet this threeshold!
Thanks CDEV, so the funding is government sourced, and it is being routed to some schools/students but not others based on someone’s predetermined enrollment percentage limit. So my original comment can stand. Government funded discrimination.
@CDEV, Please don’t get me wrong, if this is meant to help students of military families I’m all for it. I just think it should help EVERY student of a military family… regardless of which school they’re in. To do otherwise is discriminatory – particularly if it’s sloshing over to non-military students to boot. My other issue with this plan is the reward to the teacher… Is this to the AP course teacher alone? Are we to believe these students appear in that class with NO prior education that will assist in a passing score? Are they completely blank slates that this and only this teacher writes upon and therefore they are the only teacher that deserves credit or reward? I find that difficult to accept.
Govt is funding PART of it the majority is being funded by BOEING!!!!! The govt money is money designated to fund DOD dependent education. Not every military brat gets the same opportunities as the next military brat in life. Growing up as one I can assure you I did not get the same opportunities as others did. To get maximum bang for their buck the DOD determined that their needed to be a certian percentage of kids with DOD parents to kick in for this. By the way this comes from the same budget line as those federal census cards you fill out every year
@CDEV, Yes, I understand. As PART of the funding it is being spent unfairly. Is it any wonder I’m Amazed? I post a comment that I’m FOR military dependent students, FOR equal benefit to ALL of them, AGAINST rewarding only one teacher when so many had a hand in the education process… everything I’ve outlined is only FAIR and I get a frickin’ thumbs down??? What am I some frothing madman for wanting to see government money spent fairly? What part of fairness is so distasteful that it deserves a “thumbs down”?
Well you seem to have trouble with the concept that life is inherently unfair at times. Additionally fair does not always mean the same!
Has anyone mentioned the real “winner” in all of this? The College Board sells more tests and makes more money! Take a look at their books and see what a money-making machine they are.
Your observation is certainly “on the money.” Students are being pushed into AP courses in ever increasing numbers. There will be numerous AP American Government classes taught to 9th graders this year. Does anyone honestly believe that there are these huge numbers of Har. Co. high school freshman capable of doing college level work? AP American Government used to be an elective class for some juniors and seniors after they had gotten the basics in a high school level government course. Now 9th graders will be taking and requiring students to pass AP classes as part of the requirement for high school graduation. This is a trend you will be seeing more of in other courses like Biology and the other STEM subjects.