![]() That idea of a new course offering students a chance at AP math, or a more accessible foray into AP math on their way to AP calculus or statistics, has some inherent merit, Allison Rose Socol, vice president for P-12 policy, practice, and research at The Education Trust. The district has reviewed questions, comments, and concerns from educators, and continues with outreach and professional development opportunities this summer. Teachers also expressed concerns over adding an accountability measure to precalculus as the AP course mandates a high-stakes test in the spring. ![]() “And why would we track some kids into honors versus AP? Let’s give them all the opportunity for AP.” “Originally, they wanted levels, they wanted some options and we kind of said that doesn’t really match with the message we’re being sent,” Spradling said. Some teachers worried about students who otherwise wouldn’t take AP math courses suddenly being enrolled in one, Spradling with the district said. Though the decision to replace precalculus honors across all high schools in the district was met with some initial hesitancy. That’s the approach the Seminole County district is taking. “So there’s no reason for schools to think about having to offer multiple leveled sections of precalculus.” “Precalculus is precalculus,” Biedermann said. The new course addresses these circumstances, Biedermann said.Īnd with precalculus, as a discipline, already categorized by colleges, high schools, and mathematics organizations as advanced math, the new AP course is not a more advanced version of the precalculus courses already being offered in high schools nationwide. That meant students, in particular students of color, not being tracked into existing AP courses or taking precalculus their senior year have been missing out on coursework that better prepares them for college, and on credits that could save them time and money. In other cases, schools might have already been offering a precalculus or Precalculus Honors course with no opportunity for students to get college credit. In some cases, schools don’t offer math courses after geometry or Algebra II except for calculus, and AP Calculus or AP Statistics, and for some students, the jump from Algebra II to AP Calculus might have been too big, said Edward Biedermann, executive director of AP Outreach for the College Board. That’s according to a joint report from the Education Trust, a nonprofit advocating for students from low-income families and students of color, and the nonprofit Equal Opportunity Schools. Math pathways from middle school through high school vary across schools, as does access to advanced courses, including science, technology, and engineering.įor instance, 2 in 5 Black and Latino students surveyed for a report last year say they want to go to college and have a passion for STEM, but only about 3 percent of these students are enrolled in AP STEM courses. ![]() While College Board spokespeople said they won’t have figures on how many will sign up until this fall, the organization hopes its new offering will give more students-particularly students of color-more opportunities for advanced math coursework to be better prepared for college. ![]() Schools across the country are preparing this summer for the new course. “We figured, why not give the opportunity for all students to try to get this college credit and the additional AP resources at least for this first year,” said Tiffany Spradling, K-12 math and science coordinator for the district.
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