Newswise — Arkansas received $13.2 million from the ExxonMobil National Math and Science Initiative to increase the number of Arkansas students scoring 3 or higher on rigorous College Board Advanced Placement mathematics, science, and English exams, Gov. Mike Beebe announced today.
Arkansas is one of only seven states to receive money from a new grant designed to further build upon improvements in Advanced Placement (AP) scores by Arkansas students. Created by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), the $13.2 million six-year grant will fund training and incentive programs for AP and Pre-AP courses to better prepare students for college-level work in math, science and engineering. Exxon Mobil Corp. is the primary supporter of the grants, committing a total of $125 million to the project.
"This is a unique opportunity for Arkansas, and we will take full advantage of the NMSI grant to further push for excellence in education," Beebe said. "This resource will help our students continue to make great strides in our involvement and achievement in Advanced Placement courses."
Arkansas' proposal " written by a UALR team headed by Dr. Ann Robinson, director of UALR's Center for Gifted Education " addresses the initative's goal to raise AP scores in math, science, and English. The UALR plan is to accomplish the goal by providing high quality professional development to teachers and by establishing incentives for school and students to increase performances.
Robinson said the grant will be used to establish a non-profit organization, Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science (AAIMS) on the UALR campus which will provide AP and Pre-AP technical assistance to about 20 school districts around the state. Over time, more school districts can be served if they wish to participate. Sen. Jim Argue, chair of the Senate Education Committee, has agreed to chair organization. Tommie Sue Anthony, former coordinator of UALR's Arkansas Advanced Placement Professional Development Center, will operate the new center.
"The goal is to raise AP scores in Math, Science and English. Board members of NMSI believe we can accomplish this goal by providing high quality professional development to teachers and by establishing school and student incentives to increase performance," Robinson said.
"We are thrilled to be in the first wave of this important national effort by NMSI and the generosity of ExxonMobil," Robinson said. "Through this new organization, we will be ready to work with middle school and high school teachers through a new, exciting sustained professional development certificate in Teaching Advanced Placement. The schools who choose to participate in the new initiative will receive top quality assistance to teachers, administrators and students.
The plan is to create a nonprofit organization, Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science (AAIMS), to improve mathematics and science education in Arkansas and to increase college retention and graduation rates in science, technology, English and Math (STEM) disciplines.
Anthony, a native of Conway and a long-time teacher and administrator in the Pulaski County Special School District, has worked at UALR's Center for Gifted Education where she is an instructor in gifted education and coordinator of the Arkansas Advance Placement Professional Development Center.
She has operated UALR's AP Summer Institute, which annually provides professional development for approximately nearly 1,000 teachers. She also serves as the volunteer legislative advocate for Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education and she have been actively involved in the development of Arkansas' AP legislation.
Between 2002 and 2006, Arkansas led the nation with a 15.5 percent per-capita growth in the number of students passing math, science and English AP exams.
"We look forward to continued improvement in these areas, and this grant from NMSI will enhance our efforts to increase the rigor and relevance of Arkansas high school math and science courses," said Ken James, Arkansas Commissioner of Education.
The National Math and Science Initiative, Inc. (NMSI) is a non-profit organization created to facilitate the national scale-up of programs that have a demonstrated impact on math and science education in the United States. Initial funding for NMSI comes from ExxonMobil, which provided $125 million " including the $12 million awarded to Arkansas.
The money is part of initiative to address one of America's greatest economic and intellectual threats " the declining number of students prepared for and enroll in rigorous college courses in mathematics and science.
Dr. Angela M. Sewall, dean of UALR's College of Education, congratulated the team that brought the grant to Little Rock and the state.
"This is a reflection of our commitment to providing support and training to the teachers of science, math and engineering who in turn provide the knowledge, skills and dispositions to students in our schools whose education and future endeavors will be the basis for continued improvement in the economy and quality of life in Arkansas," Sewall said.
Chancellor Joel E. Anderson credited Robinson and her work at the Center for Gifted and Talented and who successfully landed grants in 2000 and 2001 to establish the AP Professional Development Institute. Her work, and that of the institute, is credited for Arkansas leading the nation in students passing math, science, and English AP examinations, according to national research.
The national research looked at the number passing math, science and English Advanced Placement examinations per 1,000 enrolled juniors and ranked states by percent growth from 2002 to 2006. Arkansas led the nation with 15.5 percent growth. Nebraska followed with a growth rate of 11.4 percent and Utah ranked at the bottom with a loss of .9 percent. The U.S. average growth rate was 4.9 percent. The goal of the latest grant is to dramatically increase the number of students participating in AP classes and passing the tests.
"Arkansas' potential in leading the nation in AP exams shows our kids and our teachers can do it. This grant will give them the chance to prove it," said UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson.
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