64°
LEICESTER, Mass. — Leicester High School has been tentatively accepted into the next cohort for the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative Advanced Placement grant, which educators believe will help the school expand the number of AP classes, increase student scores, and better prepare them for college-level work.
"This is going to be a tremendous opportunity for us to move forward for our kids," said Superintendent Paul Soojian. "One of the pluses for the kids is that the grant will pay for them to take the test, so that's money that's not coming out of their pocket."
In November, the school committee voted unanimously to support pursuing the grant. and representatives of the program then met with administrators to gather information on the school.
Now that Leicester has been accepted into the program, Soojian said the staff was very excited about participating.
The three-year grant will offer professional development for teachers, including vertical team meetings all the way down to the middle school, according to Principal Tom Lauder.
The AP program is designed to dramatically increase participation and performance of public high schools in rigorous, college level work in math, science, and English, and expand access to college level courses among traditionally under-represented students.
Massachusetts is one of six states selected to participate in the program being led by the National Math and Science Initiative in an effort to address the drastic decline in math and science education across the United States. The five-year, $30 million initiative was organized by Mass Insight Education, in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and private funders.
"So it's some state money, but also private money," said Lauder. "They have a dog in the fight, as they say, because they are looking for quality math and science students."
In the Fall, LHS will add four AP courses, Statistics, Environmental Science, and English, as well as AP Governement, with the first three being covered by MMSI.
"This will kind of energize us," said Lauder.
Soojian said that there is funding for this programming that is yet to be decided in the legislature.
"We're going to be in the cohort anyway. If we get the full funding, we won't have to come up with any funds, if they don't get the full funding, we may have to contribute some, but not a significant amount. But it's going to be a great opportunity for us," said the superintendent.
