The Power of One: How a Single AP Course Can Transform Students’ Futures
By Cale Golden
Some of the benefits of Advanced Placement® (AP)—including building skills for college and career and providing an opportunity to earn college credit and placement—are familiar to many educators.
What might be lesser known is that students don’t need to take multiple AP courses and exams to change their trajectories. In fact, experiencing just one Advanced Placement course can make an impact on student outcomes. Research shows that students who take one AP course can improve their first-year college GPA and their chances of graduating in four years.
The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District (CHSD) in North Merrick, NY, made access to AP a priority and saw tremendous outcomes. Learn more below about the innovative teaching methods they used to boost the number of graduates who experienced advanced coursework before high school graduation.
Expanding Access to AP at Bellmore-Merrick CHSD
Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District was honored as the 2023 AP Medium District of the Year for its outstanding efforts to broaden access to Advanced Placement and deliver positive outcomes for students.
To achieve these results, the district used methods of instruction that allowed a wider range of students to succeed in AP.
A section of its AP English Language and Composition course is co-taught by special education and general education teachers. Seniors are encouraged to enroll if they have not previously taken the course or AP Seminar. Students can attend a support period to help them outside the classroom when necessary.
The AP Capstone program, which includes AP Seminar and AP Research, is also co-taught. By pairing English and social studies teachers along with the help of media specialists, the student to teacher ratio is reduced to 1:12. Students benefit from having more individualized support from their teachers, and their chances of success increase.
The impact of the district’s effort can be seen in the data: 70% of students graduating from Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District have taken at least one AP course.
“We are committed to access and participation in education and ensuring that a diverse range of students can benefit from and succeed in challenging academic programs. We really believe in the research that entry into college and career is made better when students are involved in high-level work, and the AP curriculum is as good as it gets,” said Scott Bersin, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.
Robyn Einbinder, the social studies chairperson, said that AP courses expose students to new levels of content and skills. She noted that graduates tout AP Seminar “as the most useful course that they took in high school.” She also said that the research and presentation skills students gain will be used in college and beyond.
Rob Walsh, the teacher union president and an AP Computer Science Principles teacher, said that this AP course allows students to be creative and “encourages our students to reflect critically on technology and its place in our society. I believe this opportunity better prepares our students for the future that awaits them.”
Cale Golden is a senior director of AP Access at College Board and a former AP English Literature, AP English Language, and creative writing teacher.