AIKEN, SC — Aiken County Public Schools announced in late May new plans to raise the level of rigor and expectations for all in order to better prepare Aiken’s students for the 21^st century workplace.

“Students must graduate with more than a high school diploma,” Aiken County Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford commented. “In order to ensure our students’ future success and that each is prepared to meet the demands of challenging post-secondary opportunities in college and the workforce, our school community must raise the level of expectations and rigor for all.”

Sound academic behaviors and an employable skills set will be a prerequisite for the next generation of future-ready graduates. The District detailed its plans to guarantee an academic stretch for all students at a Press Conference held today with the announcement of High School Thematic Programs, beginning with four schools in the 2016-17 school year and implementation District-wide by 2018.

In partnership with The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) and generous support with a lead gift from AECOM, the parent company of a Department of Energy Contractor, and the Department of Defense, the District will transform math and science education at North Augusta and South Aiken high schools beginning this summer and designate the schools as Advanced Placement (AP) Academies.

“It’s important to us that we see our students succeed,” remarked Dr. Todd Wright,” AECOM’s General Manager and Executive Vice President of Operations. “Our employees live and work in the Aiken community. An investment of this magnitude in Aiken’s K-12 public education system allows us to support the future success of students and protects the vitality of our community’s future workforce.”

Also part of next year’s Accelerated Learning Initiative is an Early College at Midland Valley High School. In partnership with Aiken Technical College (ATC), high school sophomores at Midland Valley will have the opportunity to begin their college coursework early and earn an Associate in Arts degree from ATC just before graduation from high school.

Aiken High will explore the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program next year with tentative plans to involve greater numbers of students participating and an increased emphasis on the programs’ renowned Career and Technology Education pathways in the 2017-18 school year.

Accelerated Learning Initiatives for Silver Bluff, Ridge Spring-Monetta and Wagener-Salley high schools will be studied and planned throughout the next year, with anticipated implementation for thematic programs at all seven Aiken County high schools by 2018.

“To increase the number and preparation of Aiken County Public School graduates who are meeting and exceeding standards of college and career readiness,” Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford said, “we must make a deliberate effort to equip teachers with the best tools and techniques to inspire and engage students, enable more students to access rigorous coursework and prepare for technical fields of study, and define a solution-driven pathway and monitor results.”

State workforce development leaders including Cheryl Stanton, the Governor’s appointed Executive Director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and local leaders, including mayors of Aiken and North Augusta and the Executive Directors of both the Lower Savannah Council of Government and the Community Reuse Organization, gathered for the announcement this morning to kick-off the District-wide initiative and celebrate its early supporters.

“A strong educational foundation rooted in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is key to obtaining the many available jobs and careers available in our state and nation,” State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman remarked. “I applaud the Aiken County School District for recognizing this and their collaborative efforts to ensure that every student graduates prepared for success.”

NMSI’s highly-successful College Readiness Program will better prepare students for their futures and the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers of an increasingly competitive job market.

“We are very proud to welcome N. Augusta and S. Aiken high schools into the larger NMSI community of nearly 800 College Readiness Program sites in 33 states around the country,” Marcus Lingenfelter, NMSI’s Vice President of State and Federal Programs. “Moreover, this grant is also being made possible thanks to NMSI’s partnership with the US Department of Defense. DoD’s commitment to supporting dependents of uniformed service members has resulted in NMSI program being implemented in at least 200 military connected schools as of 2017-18.”

NMSI partners with schools to increase the number of students taking and earning qualifying scores on Advanced Placement math, science and English exams, while expanding access to rigorous coursework to traditionally underrepresented students.

Historically, schools have hand-picked students for Advanced Level courses. With research indicating increased rigor among high school students better prepares them for the demands of college, districts and communities throughout the nation are beginning to expand access to more students and shifting the paradigm of AP from a program for an elite group of students to a program for all.

With a large percentage of South Carolina students losing their eligibility for the LIFE lottery-funded scholarship after just their first year of college due to failed academic performance, Aiken County is raising the bar for all students to better prepare them for post-secondary success.

South Aiken Assistant Principal Martha Messick will lead the program at the high school and says students and parents are looking forward to the challenge. “NMSI provides the advanced training for our teachers and support for students which will enable them to earn qualifying scores on their AP exams. It’s more than college credit, though. Our students and parents are very supportive of this initiative simply for the increased preparedness that exposure to AP coursework will provide for their future success in college.”

NMSI’s College Readiness Program includes Educator Support with course-specific training through four-day Summer Institutes, two-day workshops in the fall, and targeted training for teachers in lower grades to build the pipeline of students ready for rigorous AP courses. Expert teachers with a proven record of success in AP performance will serve as individual mentors for teachers, offering one-on-one support with curriculum, pacing guidance and instructional feedback.

With a goal to foster learning environments in which all students are seen as capable of advanced coursework, NMSI removes all barriers to student success, including costly exam fees and access to the latest lab equipment, graphic calculators and other classroom materials needed to support high-level courses.

Success on AP exams in NMSI-connected schools is cause for celebration. Academic Pep Rallies help shift the culture and enthusiasm for highly rigorous coursework, encouraging students to participate and excel in AP courses. If school-wide assemblies honoring teachers and students for their academic successes isn’t enough incentive, financial rewards of $100 to each student for each qualifying score on an AP exam offer additional encouragement. AP teachers are also financially incentivized for their dedication and preparation of students.

“The financial incentives are attractive,” Dr. Tim Yarborough, the District’s Executive Director of High Schools, commented. “But the reward is small in comparison to the preparation students and their teachers will devote to success on the exam.”

Part of the additional preparation Dr. Yarborough references are Saturday Study Sessions led by state and national AP experts for students with their classroom teachers observing.

With an average increase in qualifying AP scores in math, science and English after three years of 128 percent and more than five times the national average, NMSI’s success proves the extra effort pays off. African-American and Hispanic students average a three-year increase of 179 percent and females earn qualifying scores on average at more than five times the national average at 122 percent.

“Those are just tremendous gains,” Dr. Alford, Aiken’s Superintendent commented. “We’re looking forward to that success for our students, schools and community here in Aiken County.”

In his previous role in Dorchester County, Aiken County’s Superintendent partnered with NMSI to establish the first NMSI site in South Carolina. Fort Dorchester High School remains the first and only NMSI-site in the state. South Aiken and North Augusta high schools will join additional schools in the Charleston area next fall as the program continues to gain traction in South Carolina.

Though NMSI is a targeted high school program, the benefits extend downward reaching to lower grades with professional development for District educators beginning with third grade teachers in Laying the Foundation Training.

“NMSI’s College Readiness Program has proven that when a community comes together to be champions for students, anything is possible,” NMSI CEO Matthew Randazzo said in support of the partnership. “The students and teachers in Aiken County have what it takes to reach new levels of academic excellence, and we are thrilled to support that growth.”

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About National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI)

NMSI, a non-profit organization, was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education, and science to transform education in the United States. NMSI has received national recognition for training grade 3-12 teachers and improving student performance through the rapid expansion of highly successful programs: NMSI's College Readiness Program, NMSI's Laying the Foundation Teacher Training Program, and NMSI's UTeach Expansion Program. Inaugural funding for NMSI was provided by ExxonMobil, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. For more information, visit www.nms.org.

About AECOM

AECOM is built to deliver a better world. They design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. As a fully integrated firm, AECOM connects knowledge and experience across a global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, their work is transformative, differentiated and vital. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM had revenue of approximately $18 billion during fiscal year 2015. See how AECOM delivers what others can only imagine at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Link to District Press Release: 2016MayNMSI

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