Fueled by a $5 million grant from the technology company Google, more than 800 public high schools will be invited to start up Advanced Placement STEM courses with a focus on attracting more female and minority students who show strong potential to succeed.
The new program—to be developed by the College Board in collaboration with the nonprofit DonorsChoose.org, the grant recipient—will work directly with teachers in qualifying schools to help them obtain the training and classroom resources they need to launch AP courses.
Under the grant, schools can receive awards ranging from $1,200 to $9,000, depending on the subject, for each new course. The money will be used for professional development to prepare teachers, as well as to acquire classroom materials, lab and technology equipment, and other resources to support the new STEM courses.
The new program will target a set of high schools that are deemed to have a population of students traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields but who are ready for advanced coursework in those disciplines.
