Dansville REACH seeks to increase participation in academically challenging coursework at Dansville High School. The means for doing this are simple: financial awards are offered to students achieving a passing score or higher on Advanced Placement exams.

Why promote Advanced Placement? Advanced Placement is a nationally recognized program providing college level coursework and college level exams to high school students. The curricula and exams are developed by college educators and nationally standardized, and excellent test results are recognized by most colleges for course credit.

Dansville High School has had Advanced Placement programs for over two decades, but participation rates have significantly lagged state and national norms.

By boosting AP participation, Dansville REACH expects that more students will leave Dansville High School confident and better prepared for college. In today's information age, a college degree is a crucial passport to career advancement, and we owe it to our children to prepare them for college.

U.S. Department of Education senior researcher Clifford Adelman in 1999 and 2005 demonstrated that the best predictor of college success is not high school grades and test scores, but participation in a rigorous high school curriculum. Data from the College Board show that completion of at least one AP exam is associated with significantly greater college achievement.

By boosting AP participation, Dansville Central School will gain a stronger reputation as an academically challenging school to which parents will be eager to bring their children.

By boosting AP participation, the Dansville community will demonstrate that we value education and have high expectations for our children. Dansville will be a more attractive community for those wishing to raise a family, start a business, or recruit professionals such as engineers and physicians.

By boosting AP participation in the High School, the climate of academic expectations in the High School will shift upward, affecting the attitudes of students, teachers, parents, and the entire community. Higher expectations at the High School will help move our community toward a culture of excellence at all levels of education.

Contact tjwitte@frontiernet.net