Appendix 2: The Compendium Partners
APPENDIX 2
About the Compendium Partners
A+ College Ready A+ College Ready (www.apluscollegeready.org) is a nonprofit program dedicated to improving student achievement in math, science, social studies, and English. A+ College Ready works to increase the number of Alabama students taking advanced placement courses, earning qualifying scores on AP exams, and attending and succeeding in college. Each year for the past seven years, a cohort of Alabama high schools is selected to participate in the initiative. On average, schools experience a 95 percent growth in AP qualifying scores during their first year in the program. As nearly half of all Alabama public school systems have enrolled, Alabama has experienced the nation’s largest percentage increase as a state in students taking AP courses and passing scores for all students as well as minority students. In 2015, A+ introduced Pre-AP courses for 7th to 10th grade core subjects, preparing students for the increased rigor encountered in AP and other college-level classes. Accessing A+ College Ready resources A+ College Ready is the authorized affiliate for the National Math and Science Initiative and provides training and support for Laying the Foundation to schools encompassed by annual grant funding. For more information about becoming an A+ College Ready School, contact collegeready@aplusala.org . HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology (www.hudsonalpha.org) is a nonprofit research institute located in Huntsville, AL, with a three-fold mission of genomic research, economic development and educational outreach. The educational arm of HudsonAlpha has developed a series of programs and activities that inspire the future bioscience workforce and cultivate genetic literacy for all citizens. These include hands on classroom modules, immersive educator training, real-world student experiences and digital learning initiatives. Their activities are utilized in nearly 80 percent of Alabama’s public high schools, reaching more than 70,000 students annually. HudsonAlpha’s educational reach has expanded beyond the borders of the state: its kits are used in hundreds of schools across the United States and science educators look to HudsonAlpha as a trusted provider of science education content. A series of digital activities have received national acclaim and HudsonAlpha iCell ® , an interactive visualization of animal, plant, or bacterial cells, has been downloaded globally nearly two million times. Accessing HudsonAlpha resources Many HudsonAlpha resources found in the compendium have been or will be distributed through GREAT workshops held throughout the state. Additionally, certain kits are available through ASIM or for purchase from Carolina Biological Supply Company. For more information about resources or educator professional development visit www.hudsonalpha.org/education .
AMSTI The Alabama Math Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI, www.amsti.org ) is a program within the Alabama State Department of Education that provides equipment and materials, professional development and on-site support to teachers and their students in grades K-12. Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM) is the high school science component of AMSTI. Educators receive all of the equipment, supplies, resources and training needed to carry out hands-on, research-based science and math lessons. Multiple studies have shown that AMSTI is highly effective in increasing student achievement. Utilizing a network of regional hub sites and course-specific specialists this initiative reaches over half of the state’s elementary and middle schools and nearly every high school. Accessing AMSTI/ASIM Biology resources Alabama Science in Motion provides training and physical materials to support many of the activities described in the compendium to ASIM-trained teachers. For more information about becoming an AMSTI/ASIM-trained teacher, contact your regional ASIM Biology Specialist. Students versions of all ASIM activities for the compendium are available as a pdf from Science in Motion.
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A Field Guide to the Alabama Standards
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The Biology Compendium
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