Colorado Legacy Schools Make Significant Gains in AP Achievement for Underserved Populations

DENVER – Today the Colorado Legacy Foundation (CLF) announced significant gains in Advanced Placement (AP) achievement by the seven pilot Colorado Legacy Schools: Abraham Lincoln High School, Centennial High School, Columbine High School, Fruita Monument High School, Grand Junction High School, James Irwin Charter High School, and Northglenn High School. Across these schools, the number of students who received a qualifying score of 3, 4 or 5 on math, science and English AP exams increased 47 percent from the 2009-2010 school year. Schools reported a 212 percent increase in the number of students who received a qualifying score on a science AP exam.

“The results show the program works because it brings about a cultural change in schools that results in significant student achievement and challenges our assumptions about which students benefit from advanced classes,” said Dr. Helayne Jones, President and CEO of the Colorado Legacy Foundation.

Colorado Legacy Schools is part of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) Advanced Placement Teacher Incentive Program and focuses on increasing college readiness for all Colorado students. The program combines resources, training, additional time on task, and financial incentives for students and teachers. As part of this pilot, CLF will provide financial incentives in the amount of $100 per qualifying score received – totaling $66,800 distributed to teachers this Fall. Each school will also receive a grant from the Colorado Legacy Foundation to help support their continued efforts to promote AP participation and success by nontraditional AP students and their teachers in the 2011-12 school year.

“The schools increased student enrollment in their math, science and English AP courses by 77 percent, which shows a strong return on the investment of our funders,” continued Jones. The National Math and Science Initiative, the Daniels Fund, Xcel Energy, the Amgen Foundation, the Anschutz Foundation, the El Pomar Foundation, the JFM Foundation and the Delisa and Anthony Mayer Foundation all contributed to the 2010-2011 Colorado Legacy Schools.

The Colorado Legacy Foundation believes that increased student achievement for all Colorado students requires effective leaders in every school, effective educators in every classroom, and healthy and engaged students who come to school ready to learn with 21st century teaching and learning opportunities integrated throughout a comprehensive student-centered system.