Northgate among Georgia schools eligible for STEM AP course funding
From Staff Reportseducation@newnan.com
Northgate High School in Coweta County is among 31 Georgia high schools selected by the College Board to apply for funding for the new AP STEM Access program.
The program was created to increase the number of minority and female high school students who participate in Advanced Placement Program courses in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines.
The Georgia public schools that qualify for this program were chosen because they have historically had a population of underrepresented students who were academically prepared for an AP STEM course that is not offered by the school. They are part of more than 800 public schools from across the country being invited to apply for the AP STEM Access program thanks to a $5 million grant from Google as part of the company’s Global Impact Awards to DonorsChoose.org.
The program aims to encourage traditionally underrepresented minority (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native) and female students who demonstrate strong academic potential to enroll and explore these areas of study and related careers.
Research shows that students who took AP math and science were more likely than non-AP students to earn degrees in physical science, engineering and life science disciplines — the fields leading to some of the careers essential for America’s future prosperity. This correlation is particularly strong among African American, Hispanic/Latino and female students.
Participating schools will start the new AP math and science courses in fall 2013 and will make a commitment to offer these new AP courses for a minimum of three years. This will enable the courses to become an integral part of the overall array of AP course offerings within the school.
