PSS secures $400K for advanced placement courses

As Marianas High School students gear up for the nationwide advanced placement courses to be offered in May 2001, the Public School System said it is now financially equipped to support students preparing for the assessment as early as this summer.

Advanced placement courses are post secondary preparatory subjects for incoming college students that will allow high schoolers to be exposed to the rigorous course outlines in the undergraduate level.

“This would allow the high academic achievers at MHS to participate in specialized classes and take these tests that would earn them college credits,” said PSS Federal Programs Officer Bill Matson.

Successful AP examinees will have the privilege to breeze through college on some of the advanced courses they have previously taken.

The U.S. Department of Education this week awarded PSS a grant valued at $400,000 which will be used to conduct advanced training for 140 exceptional students at Saipan’s lone public high school.

On July 1, 2000, PSS will officially receive the total sum which covers a period of three years.

According to Mr. Matson, not only does PSS look at venues to help those who need the greatest assistance to reach the minimum academic standards, it also exercises extra efforts to accommodate students who achieve high academic performance.

This fall, PSS will begin to offer Calculus and Art courses for 40 students.

The following year, the school system will add English and Computer Science under the list of advance placement courses available for those eligible for the AP program.

By its third year, PSS is looking at introducing advanced courses in Social Studies and Science courses.

PSS will be implementing AP courses at MHS in coordination with the Northern Marianas College.

“NMC is going to help us provide training to our teachers — the ones that are involved in the process,” said Mr. Matson.

Low income students (approximately 50 percent of the 2,200 public high school students are eligible for the USDA free or reduced breakfast and lunch program) are anticipated to be the first year’s participating students eligible for test fee payment.

High academic achievers who belong to low income families will have an opportunity to acquire subsidy from PSS in order to pay the fees needed to take the nationwide examination, according to Mr. Matson.

Meanwhile, NMC and PSS have yet to iron out plans to start AP courses at MHS this year.
“Collectively, PSS and NMC will be able to offer this new learning experience to our academically advanced students without diverting any resources form the remainder of the student population,” said Mr. Matson. (MM)