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News Release T: 605.773.3455 |
| For Immediate Release 15 February, 2000 Spearfish Teacher Participates in National Forum Learns Strategies for Expanding Access to Advanced Placement Courses Spearfish School District Advanced Placement Coordinator and teacher Denelle Sprigler was among three South Dakota participants in the National Forum to Expand Advanced Placement Opportunities held in Washington, DC, February 10-12. The U.S. Department of Education and the College Board cosponsored the Forum. Participants were from 46 states and several territories. Speakers included Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley, the president of the College Board, Gaston Caperton, and Gerald N. Tirrozi, Executive Director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The Advanced Placement Program gives high school students the opportunity to take courses that are equivalent to first-year college courses. Students can take College Board Advanced Placement examinations to demonstrate they have obtained the knowledge and skills of comparable college courses. Colleges and universities across the United States award credit based on AP exam scores. The other South Dakota participants at the National Forum were Dr. Karen Whitehead, Vice President for Academic Affairs, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and Dr. Paul A. Gough, Director of Policy and Planning for the South Dakota Board of Regents. The purpose of the Forum was to learn about strategies for expanding access to Advanced Placement courses and to obtain information about federal funds available to states for the purpose. "Denelle provided us with an important local perspective that we could use to evaluate what we heard from the speakers," Dr. Gough said. "This was especially valuable since many of the speakers were not familiar with small districts or schools. Danelle's contributions will help the university system assist districts with AP." Other school districts represented on the state teams included Denver, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Des Moines.
"Preparing students for the College Board’s Advanced Placement examinations can help ready them for college and can reduce the cost of a college degree," said Dr. Robert T. Tad Perry, Executive Director for the South Dakota Board of Regents. Perry added, "It is important that the university system work with the school districts to promote the AP program in South Dakota. Increased communication with the school districts results in students who are better prepared for college level work." All of South Dakota’s public universities award credit based on the AP examinations. This summer all of the universities will offer summer institutes for high school AP teachers. Further information about the Advanced Placement Program and the summer 2000 institutes is available on the Board of Regents web site (http://www.ris.sdbor.edu) or from Dr. Gough (773-3455)
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