Check out Tom Luce's announcement video, in the video section, below!

For more details on the results of NMSI's APTIP results, view the NMSI APTIP Results Presentation 

Aug. 25, 2009

DALLAS - The 2009 Advanced Placement*results are in, and they confirm  that the concerted effort to boost student achievement led by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) has increased the number of passing AP math, science and English exams by 51 percent among students in participating states, more than nine times the national average. 

"These first-year results demonstrate that more rigorous and effective math and science programs can be replicated successfully nationwide. This program is going to open the doors to college for many more students," said Tom Luce, CEO of NMSI.

The AP test scores have been reported by the College Board for the 67 high schools in six states selected to participate in the vanguard AP Training and Incentive Program (APTIP). The six states are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia. Those initial results show that the combination of enhanced teacher training, teacher incentives, student scholarships, more time on task for students, and master teacher mentoring can dramatically increase the number of students succeeding in college-level work.

The scores will be officially announced by NMSI in conjunction with the A+ College Ready Program, which administers the APTIP program in Alabama, at 2 p.m. today at a press conference at Clay Chalkville High School in Pinson, Ala. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and Alabama Superintendent of Education Dr. Joe Morton are scheduled to participate in the announcement.

"This is only the beginning. We now know the replication model works, and it is time to do more," said NMSI board member Charles Vest, President of the National Academy of Engineering and President Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Earlier today, the College Board announced its national AP and SAT test scores, which show an overall increase of 5.7 percent in public schools nationwide in the number of passing scores on AP exams in math, science and English. This means that the NMSI-supported program schools performed at more than nine times the national average.

Luce, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education, said the first year of results for the AP Training and Incentive Program confirm:

• More students than before can be brought into rigorous AP math, science and English classes with this program, which increases their chances of success in college. NMSI increased the number of AP tests taken in the six states by an average of 80 percent.
• This program helps larger numbers of students who are traditionally underserved in math and science succeed in college-level coursework. NMSI increased passing scores by African American and Hispanic students by an average of 71 percent and by women by 55 percent.
• A rigorous math and science program that is strategically supervised can be replicated nationwide. As more funding becomes available, NMSI will expand the AP support program to more states, helping even more American students become college ready and succeed in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

"Eighty percent of the jobs of the future will require an educational background in math or science, so it is imperative that we increase students' interest in these subjects and give them the instructional support to help them master the more challenging material and go on to succeed in college," Luce said.

AP, a program of the New York-based College Board, offers high school students the opportunity for college credit in more than 30 subjects, ranging from high-level math and science to fine arts, if they score well on a standardized end-of-course exam.

NMSI, a non-profit organization, was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education, and science to reverse the United States' troubling decline in math and science education.

NMSI's mission is to expand programs that have proven success in math and science education across the United States. The initial focus is on replicating two programs that each has more than 10 years of data proving they work: the AP Training and Incentive Program and UTeach, a program to recruit and prepare college students to become qualified math, science and computer science teachers.

In the first year of NMSI's national expansion:
• The APTIP program was implemented in 67 U.S. high schools, providing more rigorous coursework for 13,000 students in six participating states. Looking ahead, NMSI will add another 78 schools in fall 2009 for a total of 145 high schools -- and grow to as many as 350 schools over the next four years.
• The UTeach program was implemented in 13 universities. More than 1,500 students are now enrolled, providing a new wave of much-needed math and science teachers. Over the next four years, it is anticipated the UTeach program will be replicated in as many as 50 universities.
Major support for this ground-breaking national initiative has come from Exxon Mobil Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, with in-kind assistance provided by IBM and Perot Systems.
Contact: Rena Pederson, NMSI Communications Director, at (214) 665-2523, (214) 558-6259, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . BJ Goergen, NMSI Chief of Staff, at (214) 665-2503, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For more information, visit www.nationalmathandscience.org.
*AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Supporting materials:

NMSI APTIP Results Presentation - View details of NMSI's APTIP results in a pdf

Why Support APTIP?

APTIP One-Page Overview