Pasadena ISD to participate in AP STEM Access program

Pasadena Independent School District is one of 487 districts in the country that will participate in the new Advanced Placement STEM Access program, it was recently announced.

According to a press release, the new program seeks to increase the number of underrepresented minority and female high school students who are placed in AP courses. It is being made possible because of a $5 million grant from Google.

AP classes give students who are willing and prepared the opportunity to study at a college level and begin to develop skills that will help them in college and university.

Minority and female students are the least likely to study math and science in college. Additionally, high school students who take math and science AP classes are more likely to study those subjects in college than students who do not take AP classes. The program hopes to get more minority and female students involved in AP STEM classes so that they are more likely to study science and math in college, according to the release.

"Unfortunately, traditionally underrepresented minority students and female students often do not have access to AP STEM coursework," David Coleman, president of the College Board, said in the press release. "We are very grateful to Google for their generous support and look forward to working with DonorsChoose.org to enable these students to engage in the sort of rigorous STEM coursework that is essential for college and career success."

Three Pasadena ISD schools will participate in the program. The schools were chosen because they had minority or female students who may have done well in AP STEM courses but those courses were not offered. The schools are Dobie High, Pasadena High and Pasadena Memorial High. Each school will begin an AP STEM program in the fall of 2013 and commit to offering the classes for three years.

For more information, visit www.collegeboard.org/apstem.