Advanced Placement classes put students on the road to higher education, but not all high schools and students have the same access to those classes.
Jefferson and Wheat Ridge high schools were chosen to participate in the Colorado Legacy Schools program, which provides opportunities for a greater number of students to take AP classes.
The schools both received $10,000, which will cover teacher training, student AP costs, classroom supplies, study sessions and monetary awards for the students.
“This opens the door for all our kids to take these kinds of classes if they want to,” Jefferson counselor Molly Harrington said. “The training is not only for the AP teachers, but for teachers whose classes feed into the AP classes.”
Harrington added that all students who pass their AP test — which is scoring a three or higher — will receive $100.
“It’s a way to incentivize the kids and the program provides a lot of support,” she said.
Jefferson bumped up enrollment in AP English language from 35 students this year to 60 who are registered next fall.
Griff Wirth, the principal at Wheat Ridge, said that the funds will allow the school to help get students excited about AP.
“We’re want to make sure all the students are interested in this, because taking a college-level course in high school can be beneficial down the line,” he said. “Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting used to the structure and getting the right mindset.”
According to Harrington, 70 percent of students who pass the AP exam are likely to graduate college, and 30 percent of those who take AP classes are also likely to graduate college.
Teachers at both schools will be going into training this summer to get fully updated on how to teacher and encourage students to enroll in AP, according to Wirth.
“We really believe in this work,” Harrington said. “Our goal is to get all students prepared for the college pathway, and this is going to really help.”