Welcome from Chairman, Ted Kennedy
In the last two decades, we have witnessed an alarming trend in education in our country- our high school students continue to score far below the best in the world in math and science. By the time they reach the 12th grade, U.S. students score near the bottom of all industrialized nations. These staggering statistics, outlined in the "Rising above the Gathering Storm" report issued by the National Academies, created a sense of urgency to improve education and better prepare our students to meet the demands of our rapidly changing economy.
A+ College Ready, a Division of the A+ Education Partnership, was launched with a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative to work directly with Alabama students and teachers to help turn these statistics around. In partnership with the Governor, the State Department of Education and School District Leaders, A+ College Ready is implementing a proven training and Incentive program that provides students and teachers with the tools, resources and support needed to achieve academic excellence.
The goals of this intiative are quite straightforward. By expanding Advanced Placement course offerings in the key subject areas of math, science and English and increasing the number of students receiving qualifying scores on these Advanced Placement Exams, several thousand more Alabama students each year are given the chance to reach their full potential in high school, college, and the global marketplace.
I am proud to serve as Chairman of A+ College Ready. Businesses, coporations and foundations across this state and country- led by ExxonMobile and the Dell and Gates Foundations- have joined forces to provide the resources this effort needs to suceed. We look forward to working with our education partners, and state and local policymakers to further our common mission of increasing educational rigor and opportunity for all of Alabama's students.
Ted Kennedy
Chairman, A+ College Ready and Founding Partner of BE&K Inc.
Welcome from Chairman, Ted Kennedy
In the last two decades, we have witnessed an alarming trend in education in our country- our high school students continue to score far below the best in the world in math and science. By the time they reach the 12th grade, U.S. students score near the bottom of all industrialized nations. These staggering statistics, outlined in the "Rising above the Gathering Storm" report issued by the National Academies, created a sense of urgency to improve education and better prepare our students to meet the demands of our rapidly changing economy.
A+ College Ready, a Division of the A+ Education Partnership, was launched with a $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative to work directly with Alabama students and teachers to help turn these statistics around. In partnership with the Governor, the State Department of Education and School District Leaders, A+ College Ready is implementing a proven training and Incentive program that provides students and teachers with the tools, resources and support needed to achieve academic excellence.
The goals of this intiative are quite straightforward. By expanding Advanced Placement course offerings in the key subject areas of math, science and English and increasing the number of students receiving qualifying scores on these Advanced Placement Exams, several thousand more Alabama students each year are given the chance to reach their full potential in high school, college, and the global marketplace.
I am proud to serve as Chairman of A+ College Ready. Businesses, coporations and foundations across this state and country- led by ExxonMobile and the Dell and Gates Foundations- have joined forces to provide the resources this effort needs to suceed. We look forward to working with our education partners, and state and local policymakers to further our common mission of increasing educational rigor and opportunity for all of Alabama's students.
Ted Kennedy
Chairman, A+ College Ready and Founding Partner of BE&K Inc.