Advanced Placement

Abstract: Preface vii Acknowledgments xiii About the Author xv Introduction 1 Should and Can Today's High Schools Prepare All Students for College and Careers? College Ready and Work Ready: One and the Same? The New Challenge What We Mean by "Ready for College and Careers" Part One: Redefining College and Career Readiness 1 The Four Key Dimensions of College and Career Readiness 19 General Elements of a More Comprehensive Defi nition of College and Career Readiness Current Means to Determine College and Career Readiness An Examination of the Four Dimensions of College and Career Readiness Differences Between High School and College Courses Operational Examples of College Readiness 2 Ways to Develop Key Cognitive Strategies and Key Content Knowledge 53 Focusing on the "Big Ideas" Aligning Courses and Expectations Between High School and College Formative Assessment for College Readiness 3 Ways to Develop Self-Management Skills and "College Knowledge" 72 Elements of Self-Management "College Knowledge" Contextual Skills and Awareness 4 Key Principles of College and Career Readiness 104 Principle 1: Create and Maintain a College-Going Culture in the School Principle 2: Create a Core Academic Program Aligned with and Leading to College Readiness by the End of Twelfth Grade Principle 3: Teach Key Self-Management Skills and Academic Behaviors and Expect Students to Use Them Principle 4: Make College and Careers Real by Helping Students Manage the Complexity of Preparing for and Applying to Postsecondary Education Principle 5: Create Assignments and Grading Policies That More Closely Approximate College Expectations Each Successive Year of High School Principle 6: Make the Senior Year Meaningful and Appropriately Challenging Principle 7: Build Partnerships with and Connections to Postsecondary Programs and Institutions 5 Case Studies of Schools That Succeed 133 Alternative School: University Park Campus School, Worcester, Massachusetts Magnet School: Fenway High School, Boston, Massachusetts Comprehensive High School: Cherry Creek High School, Greenwood Village, Colorado Charter School: Minnesota New Country School, Henderson, Minnesota Early College High School: Manhattan Hunter Science High School, New York, New York Comprehensive High School: Garland High School, Garland, Texas Magnet School: Polytech High School, Woodside, Delaware Private School: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Chicago, Illinois 6 Putting It All Together 176 Develop a Profi le of the School's College Readiness Capacity Identify Outcome Measures of Success Assess the District Capacity to Support Improvements Institute Specific Programs to Address the Four Dimensions of College and Career Readiness Institute Professional Development to Support College Readiness Recognize the Importance of Culture and Change Culture Gauge the Progress of Changes in the High School What Are the Eff ects on Student Performance in College? Part Two: Steps on the Road to Readiness 7 Steps High Schools Are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready 205 Small Schools and High School Conversions Career Academies Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs Early College High Schools Dual Credit Learning from the New Models 8 Steps States Are Taking to Make More Students College and Career Ready 219 State Actions to Date Examples of State Actions State College Readiness Standards: The Example of Texas Clear Messages States Can Send to the Secondary System Clear Messages States Can Send to Th eir Postsecondary Systems Concluding Observations Afterword 265 Appendix A: Two Examples of Tasks Th at Develop and Assess Key Cognitive Strategies 269 Appendix B: Example Items from the School Diagnostic 303 Appendix C: Resource List 307 Index 311

Abstract: We use admissions lotteries to estimate effects of attendance at Boston’s charter high schools on college preparation and enrollment. Charter schools increase pass rates on Massachusetts’ high-stakes exit exam, with large effects on the likelihood of qualifying for a state-sponsored scholarship. Charter attendance also boosts SAT scores sharply and increases the likelihood of taking an Advanced Placement (AP) exam, the number of AP exams taken, and AP scores. Charters induce a substantial shift from 2- to 4-year institutions, though the effect on overall college enrollment is modest. Charter effects on college-related outcomes are strongly correlated with charter effects on earlier tests.

Abstract: Within the framework of social cognitive theory, we examined the motiva- tion of students (14-16 years old) to learn science in their introductory science courses. The students responded to a questionnaire about their intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and self-determination. The students also wrote essays about their motivation, and indi- vidual interviews were conducted with a representative sample of students. We found that the students' intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-determination, and achievement were related. Consistent with social cognitive theory, self-efficacy was the motivation factor most related to achievement. The Advanced Placement Program (AP) aspirants were higher than nonaspirants in intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-determination, and achievement. Patterns in students' essays and interviews identified inspiring teachers, career interests, and collaborative-learning activities as strong motivators. The findings suggest that sci- ence teachers should use social modeling and collaborative-learning activities to foster students' motivation, achievement, AP intent, and interest in science careers. C � 2011