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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Neighborhoods Employment Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend September 20, 2006 Local schools may dip into grant money State secures federal grant to equalize advanced placement availability among rich and poor schools in Oregon By Paris Achen Mail Tribune Seeking to bring more equity to the availability of advanced placement courses at rich and poor high schools, the state has secured a federal grant to increase and enhance rigorous classes at low-income schools. Twenty-five school pairs, consisting of a high school and a feeder middle school, will receive a share of the grant, which runs for three years. It includes nearly $500,000 the first year and the same amount for each of the next two years with an annual inflation hike. State education officials said the grant is yet another signal, and possibly a new driver, of the growing popularity in Oregon of advanced placement classes — high-level courses that allow students to earn credit at some colleges, "We've always had rich schools like Ashland with more advanced placement and dual credit offerings and a greater percentage of students entering college," said Andrea Morgan, education specialist at the Oregon Department of Education. "We want to make it possible for students in low-income schools who have traditionally not seen themselves as AP students to become participating AP students." Students who take advanced-placement courses perform better in college and are more likely to graduate than their peers, studies by the College Board suggest. Advertisement To apply for the grant, 40 percent of the student body at each middle school and high school must come from low-income families, which are defined as those that qualify for free or reduced lunch according to federal poverty guidelines. In Jackson County, four school pairs are eligible for the grant: Butte Falls High - Butte Falls Middle School; South Medford High - McLoughlin Middle School; Eagle Point High - Eagle Point Middle School; and Phoenix High - Talent Middle School. Butte Falls High is the only school of the four eligible high schools that does not now offer advanced placement courses. Instead, the school offers some college-credit options through a Rogue Community College dual-credit program, said Superintendent Steve Pine. South Medford High has the richest offering of advanced placement courses among the four schools. The grant will pay for setting up online advanced placement courses through the Oregon Virtual School District. Grant recipients also will send their middle school and high school teachers to advanced placement content training, and academic counselors will learn how to advise pupils in crafting their schedules to boost their college readiness. The grant also will fund aligning curricula in grades 7 through 12 to better prepare students for the difficulty of advanced courses. ODE officials have not yet set a deadline for applying for the grant. They are sending letters and e-mails to officials at eligible schools to notify them of the option. Officials at local eligible schools who learned of the grant for the first time Tuesday said they had not yet decided whether they would apply. "If it's there and it's free, we'll take advantage of it," said Dave Carrigan, academic adviser at Eagle Point High. "One of our goals is to increase the number of advanced placement courses." The state received a similar grant for 2003 through 2006. However, the new grant requires schools to commit to participating in the program as high school-middle school teams to encourage alignment of curricula and teaching strategies in grades 7 through 12 in any given school district, Morgan said. Other factors besides the grant are expected to encourage participation in AP courses in the coming years, Morgan said. Parents and students are increasingly aware of the advantages of academically challenging courses, and a federally funded program will pay the $82 AP testing fee for low income students. Enrollment in advanced placement courses in Oregon jumped 19.6 percent between 2004 and 2005, and the number of students taking AP exams jumped 23 percent. Those who earn college credits for the exam can save hundreds to thousands of dollars in college tuition at public universities, school officials said. Though some private postsecondary institutions don't give credit for passing the exams, participation in such courses can give some students an edge in gaining admission. Reach reporter Paris Achen by calling 541-776-4459 or [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing GMAT Prep Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com