By Owen Boss
Staff Writer
Phenomenal, off-the-charts and unbelievable were among the adjectives used to describe the dramatic increase in high school students taking college-level courses in Easthampton and Northampton.
By participating in the Mass Math and Science Initiative, the state's largest high school program aimed at underserved students, both schools are seeing an impressive rise in participation and performance among students taking math, science and English Advanced Placement classes.
Since its introduction in 2008, the initiative has resulted in more than 4,500 new enrollments in AP classes statewide and Massachusetts students registering more than 1,000 additional passing scores on math, science and English AP exams.
At an assembly at Northampton High School Tuesday afternoon, John A. Smolenski, the initiative's director of enrollment services, applauded the more than 200 students on hand who are taking part in the college preparatory classes. He said results from last year's AP tests "easily outpaced our wildest expectations."
"Northampton has raised AP enrollment from 236 to 430 in just three years and has more than doubled the number of math, science and English AP passing scores in two years, from 177 in 2008 to 366 in 2010," Smolenski said. "Those numbers are just astounding."
Earlier this year, Northampton High School was ranked 609 out of the 1,734 schools that made Newsweek Magazine's list of "America's Best High Schools," an honor Smolenski attributed to the school's sudden expansion in AP offerings.
"Last year's results were incredible and were probably what generated the attention of Newsweek," Smolenski said. "I don't work for Newsweek magazine, but after looking at the increase from 2009 to 2010 I would be surprised if at this time next year Northampton wasn't ranked in the top 200."
In AP physics alone, passing scores at NHS have risen from 27 in 2008 to 101 this year. Also, of the school's 400 juniors and seniors, 224 took an AP exam in English, resulting in a 45 percent increase in passing scores in just two years.
Also on hand for Tuesday's assembly was Mayor Clare Higgins, who said she was excited to hear of the initiative's success and encouraged younger students to accept the challenge of signing up for AP courses.
"I'm thrilled to see the scores on these tests are off the charts," Higgins said.
"It will mean that wherever you go from here, many of you will do so with the tools needed to succeed. You're making us all so proud."
Easthampton
Before a crowd of students, parents and faculty members Monday night, a similar celebration took place in the auditorium at Easthampton High School during the school's annual open house.
Among the most impressive statistics, Smolenski said, was that of the 46 schools participating in the initiative statewide, Easthampton posted the highest one-year increase in passing scores, from six in 2009 to 41 in 2010.
Also, prior to becoming a participating school in 2009, Easthampton had only 12 students enrolled in AP classes - that number has now increased to 99.
"That initiative has been great for us," School Superintendent Nancy Follansbee said at last week's School Committee meeting. "We are proud to report that we have seen a larger increase in students signing up for AP classes than any other school in the state."
At the same meeting, Peter Gunn, who chairs Easthampton's School Committee, said he expected to see similar gains in this year's AP results.
"I could talk about these results all day," Gunn said. "It goes to show what great work our teachers have been doing here in Easthampton."
In addition to helping encourage student participation, the initiative helped EHS add a new AP course in Environmental Science.
Several other area schools were selected to participate in the initiative this school year, including Athol High School, Narragansett Regional High School in Baldwinville, Turners Falls High School in Montague, and Greenfield High School.
For more information about the initiative, visit the program's website, http://www.massinsight.org/mmsi. For complete results statewide visit http://www.massinsight.org/news/27.
Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.
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