Advanced Placement Strategies Joins National Math and Science

Combined programs will strengthen Advanced Placement instruction in Texas

DALLAS, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Math and Science (NMS) and the highly-successful Advanced Placement Strategies (APS) program in Texas announced Monday that they have merged, officially integrating their programs to prepare high school students to succeed in Pre-Advanced Placement (AP)* and AP courses in the critical fields of math, science, and English.

"This new partnership recognizes the indispensable relationship that already exists between these two organizations. APS, with its 16-year track record of success in Texas, was the prototype for the AP program that National Math and Science is replicating across the United States," said Tom Luce, Chairman and Founding CEO of National Math and Science. "By working even more closely together, we will be able to give many more students the skills they need to succeed in today's world."

Under the agreement, APS will function as a division of National Math and Science. Other NMS divisions include the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program (APTIP), which is expanding the number of high school students taking and succeeding in AP math, science and English; Laying the Foundation, which provides Pre-AP and AP training and resources for teachers from middle school through high school, and UTeach, a program to train math and science teachers that is being implemented in 34 universities.

The merger of the two nonprofit organizations has been approved by the boards of directors for both groups and took effect Sept. 1, 2012.

By providing specialized teacher training and greater access to college-level AP courses for students, both APS and National Math and Science give more high school students the opportunity to earn college credit and significantly increase their chances of succeeding in college. Research indicates students who succeed in an AP course are more likely to complete a college degree than students who did not take an AP course.

About Advanced Placement Strategies: Originally known as the AP Incentive Program, this highly-successful public/private partnership initiative was launched in the Dallas area in 1995 by local business leaders committed to education reform. Advanced Placement Strategies, Inc. (APS) subsequently was formed in 2000 to continue this mission across the state. For more than 16 years, the Texas program has encouraged STEM studies for underserved Texas public high school students by increasing participation and performance in AP math, science and English courses.

APS recently announced AP exam results for 2011-2012 in 66 participating Texas schools, which showed a 23 percent increase in qualifying scores in AP math, science and English – four times the rest of the state.

During the 2011-12 school year, APS was being implemented in 14 Texas school districts, including: Austin ISD, Birdville ISD, Carollton Farmers Branch ISD, Charter Houston, Dallas ISD, El Paso ISD, Lockhart ISD, Lubbock ISD, McAllen ISD, Mesquite ISD, Pasadena ISD, Pharr-San Juan Alamo ISD, South Texas ISD, Ysleta ISD.

APS Donors include:  AT&T, Cintra USA (dba NTE Express & Bluebonnet, LBJ Express & Trinity, SH 130), Hoblitzelle Foundation, JP Morgan Chase Bank, & Foundation, KLE Foundation, O'Donnell Foundation, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, and the Roger and Rosemary Enrico Foundation.

About National Math and Science: NMS is a non-profit organization launched as an agent of change in 2007 by top leaders in business, education and science with the goal of improving student achievement in math and science across the American public school system. More information at www.nationalmathandscience.org.

Contact: Rena Pederson, 214.346.1218 or [email protected].

*AP, Pre-AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the College Board.

SOURCE National Math and Science