JHS seeing growth in AP programs

JONESBORO — According to U.S. News, JHS serves 1,136 students based off its 2014-15 data. During that time only 44 percent of the student body participated in the AP program.

That data apparently affected the administration tremendously since there have been multiple strategies employed to increase the number of students taking AP courses.

The 2018-2019 school year looks to experience a notable increase in the AP population. The growth is expected to spread across multiple subject areas and grades, prompting the need for new sections for the most popular classes, such as AP World History and AP Literature.

BCAL Counselor Ronda Watts said 22 AP classes were being offered to students. While not all of them will break, Watts is optimistic.

“More students enrolled in Pre-AP chemistry than regular Chemistry,” she said, showcasing the greater interest in higher education.

John Newman, BCAL and social studies teacher, believes this increase is due to recent programs such as Lead Higher: a program that promoted the merits of AP classes to current and future students. He also believes that one-on-one conferences with students contributed to this higher growth rate.

This increase will force some teachers to participate in classes during the summer so that they can teach these fresh AP students. Both Watts and Newman think this will increase teachers’ understanding of their subjects and contribute to a better classroom experience not only for AP students but for their regular students as well. They also hope that these AP classes will challenge students while increasing the focus on college for them.

Newman said he anticipates steady growth across the board in AP programs, but he said he doesn’t anticipate the growth rate to continue as rapidly as it will next year. On the other hand, Mrs. Watts thinks it can be sustained if newer AP students are supported through tutoring sessions from teachers and other students.