| AP contract helps maintain school vitality | | Print | |
| Written by Weina Zhao | |
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For every 100 AP exams administered, the school receives enough money
to fund one teacher. Last year’s exams brought in $2.16 million for the
2007-2008 school year. The AP program thus contributes to the school’s
ability to maintain staff, offer seven classes to students, reduce
class sizes and fund important programs. By signing the AP contract,
students help maintain the school’s vitality.
In light of recent budget cuts, principal Andy Ishibashi’s proposal, Advanced Placement, which requires students who sign up for AP courses to sign a contract agreeing to take the AP test in May and remain in the AP class for the year, makes sense. For every 100 AP exams administered, the school receives enough money to fund one teacher. Last year’s exams brought in $2.16 million for the 2007-2008 school year. The AP program thus contributes to the school’s ability to maintain staff, offer seven classes to students, reduce class sizes and fund important programs. By signing the AP contract, students help maintain the school’s vitality. Students who sign up for an AP exam should be willing to make this commitment. Nonetheless, the school should allow exceptions for those who are truly suffering in a class and should be allowed to drop. According to Ishibashi, the policy will make exceptions for courses that are set up differently. Because AP Economics and AP Government are two semester-long courses, the AP contract does not demand a year-long commitment. The policy should also allow AP Calculus students to transfer from BC to AB classes if the material is too challenging for them, as they have been allowed to do in the past. Under the new policy, counselors will make such decisions on a case-by-case basis, Ishibashi said. Lowell students have a history of performing well on AP tests — 90 percent of Lowell students score three and higher. AP tests will hopefully bring results that exceed the student’s expectations, but less-than-ideal scores will not hurt a student either. Students who are afraid of performing poorly on AP exams should be aware that they have control over who sees their scores. Colleges receive official score reports only upon the student’s request. College applications ask students to list their own scores, giving students the option of only highlighting those they are proud of. The new AP contract asks students to give back to the school by carrying out the original intent of the AP program, a reasonable request. |
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