Arkansas students in 24 schools participating in a UALR-based effort to improve math, science, and English excellence generated a 41.9 percent  increase in Advance Placement math, science, and English scores of 3, 4,or 5, Gov. Mike Beebe announced Monday.

“This is the kind of student achievement that will take Arkansas’s education system to the next level,” Beebe said. “The best way to increase our college-graduation rate is to have our students on stronger footing when they arrive on campus.  These scores are a very encouraging sign of progress toward that goal.”

The governor unveiled the astounding results of the program at a news conference at Fort Smith Northside. He was joined by officials of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) and representatives of ExxonMobil Foundation in releasing the two-year results of the NMSI program.

In September 2007, Arkansas was one of six states selected by NIMSI program funded by ExxonMobil to participate in the initiative that was based on a grant proposal written by UALR Professor Ann Robinson in the College of Education and director of the Center for Gifted and Talented Education.

Arkansas Advanced Initiative in Math and Science Inc., a nonprofit organization spearheaded by UALR gifted and talented administrator Tommie Sue Anthony as president, was created to implement the NMSI grant. Anthony and the AAIMS board of directors set out to put in place a five-year plan to increase both enrollment in AP math, science, and English courses and to increase the number of scores on AP exams to 3 to 5. Ten schools joined the program in 2009 and another 14 joined in 2010. A third group of seven schools was added last spring for a total of 31.

Results announced today showed that the 10 original schools posted a 68.9 percent overall increase in science, math, and English AP exams — almost five times the national two-year increase of 13.6 percent. The second group of schools posted a 73.6 overall increase — almost 10 times the national one-year average increase of 7.5 percent

The results were even more dramatic for African American and Hispanic students. All 24 AAIMS schools posted a 91.5 percent increase in AP test scores of 3, 4, or 5 for black and Hispanic students. Girls in the first group of schools recorded a 102.4 percent increase in passing AP math and science tests — 11 times the national two-year increase of 9.2.

The first 10 Arkansas schools participating in the program since 2008 to 2010 posted a 68.9 percent overall increase in science, math, and English AP exams — almost five times the national two-year increase of 13.6 percent. Fourteen schools that joined the program in 2009 posted a 73.6 overall increase — almost 10 times the national one-year average increase of 7.5 percent.

“The AAIMS schools are representative of all Arkansas schools. Our schools look like our state,” Anthony said. “This dramatic growth in AP qualifying scores proves that Arkansas students can do well in Advanced Placement.”

The AAIMS program offered formal training to upgrade content knowledge of math, science, and English teachers, established “lead teachers” to coach other AP and Pre-AP teachers, financial incentives for teachers and students based on results, opens enrollment offering opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds. The program required high standards with accountability for results.

During the two years of the project, AAIMS worked with 167 AP math, science, and English teachers. At the 24 AAIMS schools, students took 5,839 AP math, science, and English exams. Scores of 3, 4, or 5 made students qualified for college credit.

Other results from the AAIMS second-year tests:

• Minority students in the first group of AAIMS schools posted a 202.4 percent increase in passing math, science, and English scores — seven times the national average increase. Minority students in the program for just one year posted a 137 percent increase in passing math, science, and English.

• School in the AAIMS programs for two years reported a 102.4 percent increase in the number of girls passing math and science scores — more than 11 times the national increase, proving the value of the program in closing the female achievement gap in math and science. From 2009 to 2010, there was a 105.2 percent increase in math and science AP exams passed by female students in the 14 schools in the program for one year.

Arkansas high schools participating in the AAIMS program are Ashdown, Crossett, Dumas, Fort Smith Northside, Hamburg, Green Forest, Magnolia, Pea Ridge, Rivercrest, Rogers Heritage, Rogers, Russellville, Waldron, Booneville, El Dorado, Greenbrier, Green County Tech, Lake Hamilton, Wilbur Mills University Studies, Newport, Little Rock Parkview, Springdale, and Springdale Har-Ber.