After Doubling Their AP® Pass Rate with Online Test Prep, CA High School Implements New Online AP® and Classroom Resources
Tustin, CA (PRWEB) April 11, 2014 -- When Tustin High School introduced Shmoop’s AP® Test Prep into their AP® US History classes last year and saw pass rates nearly double for the subject in May 2012, the school thought more Shmoop might be a good thing. Using funds from voter approved ‘Measure S’ for Tustin Unified School District, Tustin High School introduced Shmoop, a large, award-winning online curriculum and Test Prep provider, to thousands of 11th- and 12th-grade AP® students. The May 2013 AP® exam results proved that trading in old textbooks for an online blend of interactive AP® practice exams, video answer explanations, individual analytics dashboards, and timed drills was the perfect ingredient for AP® success.
TUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL’S AP® SUCCESS
One of the most promising results from the May 2013 exams was that Tustin’s percentage of college-eligible scores on their AP® exams (a ‘3’ or above) doubled since 2011, when Shmoop first began piloting with the California high school.
“The demographics of Tustin Unified School District mirror the state of California’s, so it’s exciting to think that one day we could be shrinking achievement gaps across the state through greater access to quality online content like this,” said Jonathan Blackmore, Principal at Tustin High School.
NEW AP® REVIEW COURSES FOR 2014 EXAMS
When it comes to the 2014 AP® exams that are right around the corner, Tustin High School is hoping to continue their upward trajectory through Shmoop’s new AP® Review Courses. Shmoop’s AP® Review Courses are 2 - 3 weeks long and guide students step-by-step through what they need to know in order to optimize cramming right before their exams next month.
Blackmore is excited to see his students use the new Shmoop resources and improve Tustin’s already-impressive pass rate. “Shmoop has been a great resource at Tustin High School because our students have become the drivers of Shmoop and trained the teachers because they’ve loved the product and content so much.”
IMPLEMENTING NEW COMMON CORE CURRICULUM EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE
Based on their AP® success, Tustin Unified School District is currently developing custom, Common Core-aligned online math courses with Shmoop. It will be the first time the school has piloted the 100% digital curriculum format for its students for the following subjects:
*6th Grade Math
*6th - 7th Grade Math Combo
*7th Grade Math
*7th - 8th Grade Math Combo
*8th Grade Math
*Algebra I
*Geometry
*Algebra II
*Precalculus
*Finite Math
Students receiving online instruction for these subjects will also be able to communicate virtually with each other and with their teachers through Shmoop’s online classrooms, which contain vital data on completed assignments, test scores, and suggested areas for improvement.
“Shmoop really leveled the playing field for kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds, so we’re excited to roll it out to a greater extent,” said Grant Litfin, Director of Secondary Education at TUSD. “Even the most interactive digital textbook is about $60 - $80 per student and that’s as cheap as you can usually get it, so the fact that Shmoop was more cost-effective and a one-stop shop for a whole world of resources, including test prep and online courses, served the purpose we need.”
ABOUT SHMOOP
Shmoop is a digital publisher of curriculum and test prep that makes fun, rigorous learning and teaching materials. Shmoop content is written by master teachers and Ph.D. students from Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and other top universities. Shmoop Learning Guides, Test Prep, and Teacher’s Editions balance a teen-friendly, approachable style with academically rigorous materials to help teachers help students understand how subjects relate to their daily lives. Shmoop sees over 7 million unique visitors a month on its site, and offers more than 7,000 titles across the Web, iPhone, Android devices, iPad, Kindle, Nook, and Sony Reader. The company has been honored twice by the Webby Awards, named “Best in Tech” twice by Scholastic Administrator, and awarded with two Annual Education Software Review Awards (EDDIES). Launched in 2008, Shmoop is headquartered in a labradoodle-patrolled office in Mountain View, California.
*SAT and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.
*ACT is a federally registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Shmoop University is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACT, Inc.
Christina Park, Shmoop University, Inc., http://www.shmoop.com, +1 (415) 205-6306, [email protected]
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