VP Jenny Krugman

If you have read through this issue of Connection, you’ve seen and felt the College Board’s involvement with nearly every aspect of the world of students and their families as young people achieve college and career success. Among our many missions, we are committed to the following:

• Fairness in distributing financial aid to
  students as they enter college;
• Academic preparation for college
  admission; and
• Transparency in university admissions.

Libby Brookshire, school counselor at Biloxi High School and chair of the Southern Regional Council

Our regional council leadership represents all aspects of the continuum that prepares students for college success. School counselors, university admissions, enrollment and student services vice presidents, district and school administrators and teachers all provide services in giving students their best chances at college and career victories.

The College Board has teams of professionals within our ranks who support each part of this continuum. One important arm of the College Board is our National Office for School Counselor Advocacy based in Washington, D.C. The first principle of the School Counselor Advocacy team is that every student is entitled to the guidance, support and academic preparation required to make college a postsecondary option. The second principle espoused by our team is that school counselors are critical school-based professionals who have a tremendous impact on children’s aspirations, school-course choices and future career options. The advocacy of the team is to promote counselors as leaders in the school reform and student achievement effort.

Closer to home here in the South, Libby Brookshire is a school counselor at Biloxi High School in Mississippi. She also chairs our regional council. We asked our own counselor-leader, Libby, to describe her work and vision:

As a high school counselor, I have the best job in K-12; I am a dream facilitator. I have the privilege to work with students as the realization sets in that they really do have choices, and making the right choices ultimately yields more options at the next level. As I often tell students, neither the valedictorian nor the student at the bottom of the class is prepared to get a good job after high school; both need
more education. The difference for those two students will be the options afforded them as they plan for that education. As the AP® Coordinator, I continue to push for as much rigor as a student can stand, because I know that the challenge will pay dividends of confidence and success. My work with the College Board has helped me be a more useful, relevant voice as I work with students.  It may sound simplistic, but whatever the problem, the answer is probably education. So, it is through that filter that I offer skills and strategies to help students navigate the high school years. I consider it the highest honor to share a student's hopes and
dreams, and I can think of no greater joy than to see them embark on their journey in that direction.

Bravo to school counselors like Libby Brookshire who engage on a daily basis to advance school reform in their communities and academic achievement for their students.

Left to right: Mark Matthews of the College Board; an event guest; Jesus Jara of the College Board; Sharon Henley, executive assistant for Florida state board chairman; Eric Smith, Florida's Commissioner of Education; and another event guest

In giving the award, T. Willard Fair, chairman of the state board of education and president of the Greater Miami-Dade County Urban League expressed appreciation to the Florida Partnership for its many years of support. Jesus Jara accepted the award on behalf of the Florida Partnership. Since the partnership began its work in Liberty City, the scores have improved dramatically. Randi Hill, a student, received a separate award for increasing her SAT score by
200 points.

The partnership currently provides funding for round-the-clock online SAT readiness support to students in Florida’s High Priority Schools and supports collaborative efforts with the Urban League and faith-based organizations throughout the state in an effort to reach more minority students.

The College Board and the Florida Department of Education forged a partnership to help children from middle school through senior high school improve their academic skills and to become familiar with college admissions tests such as the PSAT/NMSQT® and the SAT. Using many successful models already in place at the state and national levels, the partnership works with teachers, schools, districts and colleges throughout Florida to build rigorous academic curricula, including more access for all students to AP® classes and other challenging courses. Teachers are offered training in concept knowledge and instructional skills, and parental involvement is encouraged to help inspire more students to challenge themselves academically and prepare for college and careers.

Advanced Placement® Incentive Program Grants have been awarded to state and local educational agencies and a school system in the Southern Region to facilitate their continued efforts to increase the participation of low-income students in both AP® courses and exams and pre-AP courses. The four recipients — Atlanta (Ga.) Public Schools, Kentucky’s Department of Education, Lowndes County (Ga.) Board of Education and the School Board of Palm Beach County (Fla.) — received grants of varying amounts from the federal government that will be used to support the development, enhancement or expansion of AP courses, including pre-AP courses in mathematics, science, English and other subject areas.

The DOE selects grant recipients from school districts, state and local educational agencies or national nonprofit educational entities with expertise in providing Advanced Placement services. The competitive three-year awards must be used to expand access for low-income individuals to Advanced Placement programs. Some of the options funded by these grants include teacher training, development of pre-AP courses, coordination and articulation between grade levels to prepare students for academic achievement in Advanced Placement classes, books and supplies, and participation in online Advanced Placement courses.

Atlanta Public Schools is launching an initiative at two high-poverty high schools to increase the participation and success of low-income students in AP courses and exams. Additional AP courses in English language arts, mathematics and science will be offered by adding a ninth period to the school day. Both schools will implement the SpringBoard® English/Language Arts and Mathematics curriculum, complete with College Board teacher training. To improve the preparation of students for advanced course work in the upper grades, the project will establish and train Vertical Teams of core academic teachers from the high schools and their feeder middle schools. The project will provide tutoring to strengthen the schools’ Advancement via Individual Determination programs.

The Kentucky Department of Education, in collaboration with Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, will support AdvanceKentucky, a new statewide initiative to accelerate students’ preparation for, and participation and success in, rigorous AP courses in English language arts, mathematics and science. The program is based on the National Math and Science Initiative and includes ongoing teacher training for both AP and pre-AP teachers, extensive academic support for students and Vertical Teams of middle and high school teachers, and financial incentives for AP teachers and students for each grade of 3 or higher on an AP Exam. Grant funds will support services to six high-poverty high schools, while matching funds will expand services to an additional 18 high schools over the project period.

In rural Georgia, Lowndes County Schools and Valdosta City Schools are forming a consortium to implement a series of activities to increase student access to and success in AP courses. Six high-poverty schools, including two high schools and four middle schools, will be served. New AP courses in English language arts, mathematics and science will be offered at the two high schools. Using a computer-assisted language instruction program, the project also will add new foreign language course offerings. The SpringBoard® English/Language Arts and Mathematics curriculum will be implemented in grades six through 12, and new AVID programs will be established at the two high schools. Intensive academic support will be offered during the summer for rising ninth- and 10-grade students. To improve curricular alignment, the project will establish and train Vertical Teams of teachers across the middle and high schools, and College Board training will be available for AP and pre-AP teachers.

The School District of Palm Beach County is creating a College Success program that will assist five high-poverty high schools and their 12 feeder middle schools in increasing the enrollment and success of low-income students in AP courses. The program will increase the number of AP English language arts, mathematics and science courses offered by the high schools. After-school tutorials and summer academic enrichment activities will be provided to support students enrolled in pre-AP and AP courses. Lower-achieving ninth- and 10-grade students will be enrolled in a College Success course that will use the CollegeEd® academic and career planning program to address study skills, critical thinking, goal-setting, career exploration, and other work- and college-readiness skills. Students enrolled in this course will receive additional academic support and guidance from school counselors and mentoring from first-generation college students. Efficacy training will be provided to middle and high school students and their parents to promote greater student motivation and effort to excel academically.

Click here to see events and workshops in the Southern region.