U-46 report cites growth, need for improvement with AP classes
A Citizens Advisory Council report reveals that Elgin Area School District U-46 is in the process of beefing up the quantity and quality of Advanced Placement course offerings, but much work is still needed.
The report, presented recently to the school board, examined the college-credit classes at Bartlett, Streamwood, Larkin, Elgin and South Elgin high schools from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
Beginning in the 2008-09 school year, Superintendent Jose Torres made increasing access to AP courses a priority.
The push was a major component of his "Listening and Learning plan," rolled out two summers ago, which has three broad goals - raising the bar, closing the achievement gap, and cultivating relationships.
By raising the academic bar at the district's 53 elementary, middle and high schools, Torres said then, "the better our schools can be, the better our housing markets can be, and the better our community can be."
Torres said he wanted the district to boast some of the highest rates for college and workplace readiness in the country, as well as college entrance rates.
Each school, with the exception of Elgin High, saw dramatic jumps in the number of students enrolled in AP classes. Larkin High School went from 109 students in 2007-08 to 246 students in 2009-10.
South Elgin saw a 244-student increase in that three-year period, with 517 students taking AP classes last year. Bartlett went from 314 students to 456 and Streamwood from 195 to 345. Elgin went from 360 students to 387 students.
The report noted that "in addition to the differing number of students taking AP classes, there are differing numbers of AP classes offered at the five high schools, from a low of 7 subjects at Larkin to a high of 15 subjects at Streamwood."
Several new courses will bring Larkin to 11 AP courses next fall.
"A students level of access should not be limited by their residential boundaries. Or any other boundaries, actually," said school board member Joyce Fountain, an Elgin Community College sociology professor.
The report also said that several screening processes to identify students were being improved. The district now uses the PSAT - a practice SAT test given to sophomores - to find students who demonstrate potential for AP classes.
In the past, some high school classes were labeled AP classes but did not have official status from the College Board, the governing authority of the classes and exams, according to the report.
"Both the College Board and U-46 are officially (now) monitoring this process through the AP Course Audit," the report said. Classes now are not approved in the district without the College Board's OK.
"Quite frankly I was pleased and concerned as I heard that report," Fountain said. "... The goal is to increase those numbers and provide more opportunities. Just numbers alone will have impact, but variety of students will cause some differences. I want to make sure we're cautious about who and how and based on what are we identifying the students who should be there and not be there."
According to the College Board, while 1,612 students took AP testslast year, just 805 earned college credit.
The report cited a need for more professional development for Advanced Placement teachers, as well as clearer information on school and district websites about the number of students enrolled in various AP classes and their scores on the college-credit exams.
Citizen Advisory Council members also hope to begin tracking the number of students who receive AP credit in college and in what classes.
Fountain noted that the district is not "even close to done" with the task of expanding and improving Advanced Placement courses.