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Posted by Rena Pederson, Communications Director, NMSI

Jay Mathews has another terrific, thoughtful colum in The Washington Post today on the ability of AP programs to challenge students from different backgrounds.

By Jay Mathews
Friday, November 14, 2008; 6:34 AM

A teacher with the sign-on name of pfelcher posted a provocative comment on the Web version of my Nov. 3 column for the Post's Metro section. I was repeating for the 4,897th time my view that even low-income students who have not performed well in school can learn in a college-level high school course, like Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate, if given extra time and encouragement.

Jason Crocker, an educational consultant in Prince George's County, is exasperated with me and my rating of high schools, called the Challenge Index, based on how many college-level Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests schools give.