Portage High School has been selected to participate in the Indiana Advanced Placement Teacher Investment Program. AP-TIP IN is hosted by the University of Notre Dame Institute for Educational Initiatives Center for STEM Education. The program aims to increase the number of students taking Advanced Placement math, science, and English courses and increase the number of students who earn AP Qualifying Scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the exams.
The program incorporates several strategies to accomplish these goals. Teachers will receive additional professional development and materials that are proven to drive student success. AP-TIP IN will provide PHS with Content Directors who will serve as mentors for the AP math, science, and English teachers. Students will receive support through the program as well via webinars hosted by AP-TIP IN, training on the College Board website, access to Khan Academy materials, and mock AP exams.
AP-TIP IN will offer incentives to both teachers and students for the success they exhibit in the classes. Students will receive a $100 reward for each Qualifying Score earned on a AP exam. Teachers can earn $500 if 90% or more of their enrolled students take the AP exam for the course and an additional $500 if they meet or exceed their Qualifying Score goal. This goal is set by AP-TIP IN and based on a projection after analyzing the school’s current data.
The benefits of earning a Qualifying Score on an AP exam include earning college credits and entering college in higher level courses. Additionally, College Board offers the AP Scholars program, and students’ Qualifying Scores can help them earn that distinction. PHS will be part of the seventh cohort of schools to participate in the AP-TIP IN program.
Schools who have participated in the program from 2012 to 2018 have nearly doubled the number of students taking AP courses and nearly doubled the number of students who earn a qualifying score on an AP exam.
AP-TIP IN will serve PHS from 2019-2021. PHS is one of ten schools in Cohort 7.