Advanced Placement (AP), which enables high school students to take introductory college-level courses, is the nation's oldest example of a rigorous, common curriculum. Students who score well on AP exams are more likely to persist in college and earn a degree. The Advanced Placement Expansion project of the National Governors Association Center…

As part of its College Readiness System, ACT offers the PLAN[R] program as a way for tenth-grade students to review their progress toward college readiness while there is still time to make necessary interventions. PLAN contains four tests--English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. These tests are designed to measure students' curriculum-related…

The Rostrum is a quarterly publication of the academic senate for California community colleges. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Establishing a Systemwide California Community College General Education Advanced Placement (CCC GE AP) List by Dave Degroot; (2) Explaining the ASCCC Position on "Transfer Degrees" by…

Taking the AP Statistics course and exam does not appear to be related to greater interest in the statistical sciences. Despite this finding, with respect to deciding whether to take further statistics course work and majoring in statistics, students appear to feel prepared for, but not interested in, further study. There is certainly more…

This study examined the relationship between students' self-reported high school grade point average (HSGPA) from the SAT Questionnaire and their HSGPA provided by the colleges and universities they attend. The purpose of this research was to offer updated information on the relatedness of self-reported (by the student) and school-reported (by the…

The Middle College National Consortium (MCNC) is one of 11 intermediary organizations awarded funds by the Gates Foundation to establish Early College High Schools (ECHSs). The MCNC is a school-practitioner network of more than 30 middle colleges (high schools located on college campuses) committed to a set of shared beliefs and instructional…

Cash incentives for high school students to perform better in school are growing in popularity, but not everyone understands them. Does paying students for better Advanced Placement (AP) test scores encourage enrollment in AP classes? The author set out to determine the impact of a cash incentive program operating in a number of Texas high…

The purpose of this study was to investigate and characterize current practice in secondary history education and its relationship to best practices. In this phenomenological study, the author examines the pedagogy of three high school history teachers and the extent to which their current methods exhibited recent thinking on best practices in…

Although limited research exists on the appropriateness of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs for gifted secondary learners, these courses serve as the primary methods of meeting the needs of gifted students in most high schools. This qualitative study investigates how a broad range of gifted secondary students…

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is doing much to promote the teaching of geography in schools. Since its establishment in 1968 to provide a common curriculum and university entrance credential for children of a geographically mobile international community, it has evolved and now includes schools in national systems all over the…

Advanced Placement[R] (AP[R]) courses provide high school students an opportunity to be exposed to the rigors of college while they are still in high school. Since school policies play a role in the opportunities for students to pursue these courses, educational leaders must be aware of the ways in which their personal beliefs and school practices…

This qualitative case study of 1 teacher and 10 students in an Advanced Placement English class explores the role of computer-mediated feedback in the creation of a classroom learning environment that was supported through hybrid learning experiences. Data sources included classroom observations, online conversations, interviews with 10 high…

Online high schools are growing significantly in number, popularity, and function. However, little empirical data has been published about the effectiveness of these institutions. This research examined the frequency of group work and extended essay writing among online Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) students, and how these tasks may have…

The Advanced Placement (AP) program offers a promising strategy for promoting college success--one that will be most effective when students are prepared for rigorous coursework and when that coursework meets high standards. As Advanced Placement coursework emerges as an instrument of public policy, educators and policymakers need to understand…

Procedures for granting freshmen advanced standing in English at eight Iowa colleges and universities are briefly described. At Central College, Drake University, Mason City Junior College, State College of Iowa, University of Iowa, and Wartburg College, students who have participated in the high school Advanced Standing Program are automatically…