Inform Instruction
Explore ways schools and districts use SAT Suite data, AP, and Pre-AP to guide classroom instruction and support students at every level.
How Coupling AP Seminar and English 10 Is a Win-Win for These Texas Students
Alvin Independent School District in Texas sought to boost Advanced Placement® enrollment while helping students participate in AP without sacrificing valuable elective options. They successfully paired English II (English 10) with AP Seminar, which integrated easily with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills—a key objective. Graduation requirements also typically prevented students from taking AP Seminar until junior or senior year. However, enabling students to take AP Seminar earlier created a positive impact on both PSAT/NMSQT and AP Exam performance.
Support Every Student
Educators use data from the SAT Suite of Assessments to accurately assess the ability level of their students, identifying those who should follow an accelerated learning path and those who may require additional support to stay on track. At Harmony Science Academy in Houston, Tex., Principal Harun Bozdag, shares "There's often a gap in knowledge acceptability between state testing and SAT testing, and the SAT Suite allows our school to gauge real college-level abilities. For example, a student who may pass the state test, STAAR, may not do well on the SAT. Then we know they may not be ready for college-level classes and need to increase rigor and support."
Prepare All Students for Advanced Learning
Spoto High School in Riverview, Fla., implemented Pre-AP as a schoolwide initiative to help provide students with the motivating, grade-level-appropriate instructional content they needed to succeed in high school and beyond. They held community meetings with students and parents to explain how Pre-AP provides rigorous, grade-level instruction that helps students learn and grow. According to Principal Jazrick Haggins, “We’re a Title 1 school, and 75% of our students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Our school grade has consistently been a C, for the past several years. Here in Florida, schools are rated and graded, but we’re moving in the direction of a B, and that’s with the support of Pre-AP.”
Using Data to Inform Curricular and Instructional Focus
At Sandusky Community Schools in Michigan, administrators implemented the SAT Suite of Assessments and utilized the year-to-year data, at the cohort and building levels, to support teachers in identifying curricular areas for improvement to inform their instructional planning. Former Principal Steve Carlson explained, "We've used the SAT Suite of Assessments to improve our curricular and instructional focus as we try to provide the best education possible to our students. Our spring assessment scores serve as our jumping-off point each fall to explore what curricular and instructional areas our school wants to focus on for the coming year. This year-to-year data, at the cohort level and the building level, help our teachers to identify ’low-hanging fruit.’ The data show us to be close to success but that we need a little adjustment to our approach. The data also help to show us any areas that might need immediate attention if we see any glaring deficiencies. Just as importantly, these data highlight our many successes and allow the staff at Sandusky Junior/Senior High School to feel validated about our efforts."