SHOW SOME PLC:
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
COMMUNITIES IN
ADVANCED PLACEMENT
Jason Koerner
Lincoln High School
Tallahassee, FL
koernerj2@leonschools.net
EVERY TEACHER, SCHOOL,
DISTRICT, STATE HAVE SIMILAR
TARGETS:
INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN
RIGOROUS (ADVANCED
PLACEMENT) COURSES
INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS IN
(ADVANCED PLACEMENT) COURSES
CREATING EFFECTIVE GOALS FOR AP
ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER
SCHOOL GOALS…
STEP #1
SET GOALS
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS,
COUNTY PERSONNEL MUST AGREE ON
SPECIFIC, ATTAINABLE GOALS.
DATA ANALYSIS SHAPES DECISIONS.
STEP #1
SET GOALS
DATA ANALYSIS SHAPES DECISIONS.
STEP #2
STRATEGIZE
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS,
COUNTY PERSONNEL MUST AGREE
ON SPECIFIC, ATTAINABLE
STRATEGIES TO REACH GOALS.
NO IDEA IS TOO SIMPLE, THE
MORE COMPLEX THE STRATEGY,
THE MORE DIFFICULT THE
IMPLEMENTATION.
STEP #2
STRATEGIZE
NO IDEA IS TOO SIMPLE, THE MORE
COMPLEX, THE MORE DIFFICULT.
STEP #3
IMPLEMENT
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, COUNTY
PERSONNEL MUST MEET/COMMUNICATE
WITH EACH OTHER CONSISTENTLY TO
INCORPORATE STRATEGIES.
ALL MEMBERS OF PLC’S MUST HAVE BUY
IN/SUPPORT. (STIPENDS, VOLUNTEERS,
ETC)
STEP #3
IMPLEMENT
ALL MEMBERS OF PLC’S MUST HAVE
BUY IN/SUPPORT.
STEP #4
MONITOR
ADMINISTRATORS AND COUNTY
PERSONNEL MUST MONITOR, USING PREDETERMINED DATA, THE SUCCESS OF THE
PLC ORIGINAL PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL
SUCCESS.
MODIFICATIONS ARE A MUST. CHANGES
DO NOT MEAN FAILURE!
STEP #4
MONITOR
WHAT DIFFICULTIES CAN YOU EXPECT?
HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR
MODIFICATIONS?
STEP #5
REFLECT
TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND
COUNTY PERSONNEL MUST REFLECT
ON THE RESULTS OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS IS NOT THE END!
STEP #5
REFLECT
HOW/WHO WILL DETERMINE
SUCCESS?
WHAT MIGHT BE THE NEXT STEP?
LEON COUNTY SCHOOLS
CASE STUDY
TALLAHASSEE, FL
“A” DISTRICT
REQUIRED EXAMS
5 MAJOR HIGH SCHOOLS
APPROX. 9000 STUDENTS
CLEAR DIVIDE ON ENROLLMENT/SUCCESS
STEP #1, SET GOALS
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN AP
COURSEWORK THROUGHOUT THE
DISTRICT.
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS IN AP
COURSEWORK THROUGHOUT THE
DISTRICT.
STEP #2
STRATEGIZE
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
AP POTENTIAL
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
TEACHER PLC’S AND
INSTRUCTIONAL REPORTS TO THE
TEACHER
STEP #3
IMPLEMENT
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
OPTIONAL PARTICIPATION, COLLEGE
BOARD PRESENTATION, DISTRICT
LETTERS.
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
OPTIONAL PARTICIPATION,
INSTRUCTIONAL REPORT ANALYSIS.
Data- Biology
Positives
Negatives
Data- Macroeconomics
Positives
Negatives
Data- Statistics
Positives
Negatives
STEP #4
MONITOR
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
DISTRICT PERSONNEL CREATED AP
POTENTIAL MAILINGS, VIRTUAL
COURSEWORK ANALYZED/DEVELOPED
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
DISTRICT REVIEW
VIDEOS/COURSEWORK.
STEP #5
REFLECT
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
NOT COMPLETE BUY-IN
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
NOT COMPLETE BUY-IN
KEYS TO SUCCESS
GOAL #1 (RECRUIT STUDENTS)
COMPREHENSION OF AP POTENTIAL
DEDICATED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS
TEACHER “BUY-IN”
KEYS TO SUCCESS
GOAL #2
(SUPPORT TEACHERS/STUDENTS)
COMPREHENSION OF AP INSTRUCTIONAL
REPORT
DEDICATED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS
TEACHER “BUY-IN”
LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
MOVES FORWARD
1900 STUDENTS
60% WHITE
40% MINORITY, 30% AFRICAN
AMERICAN
25% FREE/REDUCED
25 AP COURSES, 1800 AP EXAMS
52% QUALIFYING RATE
Goal
Strategy
Result
Increase student
confidence in
rigorous
coursework.
-Enrolled incoming 9th grade
students with a 3.0 MS GPA into
Honors English and Honors World
History in 9th grade.
Over 200 additional students
enrolled in 9th grade Honors
courses.
- Strongest teachers placed in 9th
grade to prepare students for
critical thinking.
Teachers requested additional
training to improve strategies.
Increase student
enrollment in AP
Courses.
-Further utilize AP Potential.
2300 AP course request for the
2012-2013 school year.
Increase relevance
of AP course
content.
- Required two day teacher
workshop over summer.
-Word of mouth- teachers,
students, parents.
Support increase in -Subject area test days.
AP
-Tutoring sessions.
-Student survey
Complete participation by all
teachers.
No negative feedback.
Teachers/Students volunteer.
Specific areas for improvement.
QUESTIONS?
JASON KOERNER
LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
TALLAHASSEE, FL
KOERNERJ2@LEONSCHOOLS.NET