Albertville, Minnesota — Saint Michael-Albertville School District (STMA) was recognized by the College Board for its Advanced Placement (AP) Program. The school district is one of 388 school districts in the nation and 14 in Minnesota being honored by the College Board with a place on its AP® Achievement List for increasing participation in AP classes, while maintaining or improving the percentage of students earning scores of 3 or higher. From 2008 to 2010, Saint Michael-Albertville Schools has increased the number of students participating in AP from 81 – 128, while still enabling more than 70% of its AP students to earn scores of 3 or higher, the score typically needed to earn college credit, from 72% in 2008 to 73% in 2010.
“We know that a rigorous high school curriculum taught by teachers with high-level skills and high expectations for students will provide an opportunity for STMA students to excel in college”, said Dr. Marcia Ziegler, Superintendent Saint Michael-Albertville Schools. “Advanced Placement courses expose STMA students to challenging coursework like they will experience in college with the support of our excellent high school teachers.”
STMA has focused on expanding access to AP courses as part of a strategy for fostering college readiness. Helping more students learn at a higher level and earn higher AP scores is an objective of the STMA high school AP teachers, and administration. College Board President Gaston Caperton stated, “the AP Achievement List districts are defying expectations by expanding access while enabling their students to maintain or improve their AP Exam scores.”
STMA offers AP courses in calculus, English, physics, psychology world history and studio arts. AP Economics will be added next year. “These districts are living proof that when access to AP is provided for the range and breadth of prepared and motivated students, districts can achieve even higher learning outcomes for their students,” said Trevor Packer, vice president of the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program®.
The complete AP Achievement List can be found at www.collegeboard.org.
About St. Michael-Albertville School District
St. Michael-Albertville (STMA) Public School District #885 located in Wright County between St. Cloud and Minneapolis along Interstate 94 with K-12 school district enrollment of 5300 students. Ranking in the top 20% of Minnesota schools on MCA II reading and math scores, its ACT scores have increased for five consecutive years. A new $77 million high school opened in 2009-10 and includes a 1450 seat performing arts center, 2100 capacity gymnasium, and field house and fitness facilities available to the community. The high school offers a comprehensive curriculum of advanced placement and college in the schools courses, career and technical education, and successful fine arts and athletic programs. The district has invested over $12 million in technology.
About the Advanced Placement Program
The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) enables students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school. Through more than 30 college-level courses, each culminating in a rigorous exam, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both. Taking AP courses also demonstrates to college admission officers that students have sought the most rigorous curriculum available to them. Each AP teacher’s syllabus is evaluated and approved by college faculty from some of the nation’s leading institutions, and AP Exams are developed and scored by college faculty and experienced AP teachers. AP is accepted by more than 3,800 colleges and universities worldwide for college credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of successful AP Exam scores. This includes over 90 percent of four-year institutions in the United States. In 2010, 1.8 million students representing more than 17,000 schools around the world, both public and nonpublic, took 3.2 million AP Exams.
About the College Board
The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,900 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.
Media Contacts
Jim Behle, Superintendent - 763-497-6508 - jamesb@stma.k12.mn.us
Jennifer Topiel, The College Board - 212-713-8052 - communications@collegeboard.org