Anticipating resistance from a few staff members, Peoria Public Schools conducted a one-day workshop for all district Advanced Placement teachers.

Our focus was “growth mind-set”. The most powerful component of the professional development was a panel of our high school seniors who shared their semester-long experiences with the teachers.

The perspective of students should never be discounted and always considered whenever an initiative such as EOS is launched.

Our Reason for Tackling AP/IB Equity Work

Peoria Public Schools entered into a partnership with EOS to identify and recruit traditionally underserved populations of students in our Advanced Placement program at Richwoods High School. We also implemented EOS at two other high schools in an effort to grow their Advanced Placement programs.

The Most Inspiring Aspect of the Work

Knowing what research tells us about students who graduate with Advanced Placement credits, our high school and district office staff is well-aware of the impact of our collective efforts to open the door to college classes to minority students who have traditionally been underserved in Advanced Placement programs. This knowledge and the success of our efforts at all three of our high schools is a source of inspiration for the entire school district and community.

Who Benefits Most

Our students receive the greatest benefit from our equity work with EOS. Exposure to the rigors of college expectations will serve them well as they prepare for post-secondary opportunities. In addition, the professional development our school and district staff receive from Dr. Tracey Conrad continues to be high quality professional development that challenges the traditional approach of welcoming select students to the rigor of Advanced Placement curriculum.

Advice

My advice for other school districts is to fully embrace the program, not skipping any steps or missing timelines. For example, I believe that the photo of the student on the insight card personalizes the effort, thereby making our work more meaningful and intentional. It is also crucial to engage your school districts technology department to ensure a smooth transfer of data prior to launch.