Key factors:
As an educator, I’m repeatedly trying to find methods to provide my college students a leg up. After I found Fashionable States, a philanthropic group providing free on-line programs that give any pupil the prospect to be taught college-level content material, I knew it could possibly be transformative for my college students.
There are many completely different ways in which highschool college students earn school credit score, however some of the highly effective can be one of many least recognized. I first realized of the School Degree Examination Program, a set of standardized assessments created and administered by the School Board for the reason that Nineteen Sixties, once I was in school myself. CLEPs assess college-level information and passing scores on the exams are accepted as credit score at greater than 2,900 schools and universities. I took two CLEP exams, and the credit I earned saved me money and time as I labored towards my diploma.
Immediately, working in each a state and a college dedicated to serving to college students earn school credit score earlier than commencement, I noticed a world of alternative in Fashionable States, which debuted in 2017. The group created a library of 32 on-line programs, taught by school professors and designed particularly to arrange learners for CLEP exams. Learners can take courses after which use the CLEP exams to display their studying and in the end obtain credit score. Right here’s how I’ve included its programs into my classroom, together with some ideas for educators seeking to increase alternatives for his or her college students:
Begin small and map it out
After I first realized about Fashionable States, I used to be excited but additionally overwhelmed. My fellow academics can attest to how a lot all of us have on our plates, so including new materials is daunting. It took me wading in and actually inspecting how the course modules aligned with my very own Social Research curriculum to determine the best way to incorporate it greatest. After immersing myself, I simply developed a plan that introduced collectively the Fashionable States course materials with every of my courses. This allowed me to seamlessly combine preparation for the U.S. Historical past I CLEP examination into my present courses, as a substitute of treating it as a separate job.
I additionally make Fashionable States (and taking the CLEP check) non-compulsory for my college students–however I do give additional credit score for passing the examination. I take grades on module completion, however I exempt college students who select to not take part.
My recommendation? Begin with one topic, join the Fashionable States content material to your instructing targets and your pupil’s studying targets, after which increase when you all can see the worth.
Construct buy-in via tales and expectations
Once we first focus on Fashionable States and CLEP, I hear from lots of my college students that they don’t perceive what the exams are or why they need to take them. I share my very own story: How I found CLEP in school and wished I’d recognized about it sooner. Framing it as a possibility to avoid wasting money and time helps college students see the worth.
Encourage confidence via preparation
I set excessive expectations in my classroom, making a tradition the place college students rise to the problem. Ardour and perception of their potential go a great distance. Some of the rewarding elements of utilizing Fashionable States is seeing college students develop in confidence.
Make CLEP testing out there at your faculty
After I first took this on and it was time for my college students to sit down for his or her exams, they needed to journey to native CLEP testing facilities. Whereas that sounds easy, it creates yet another alternative for college kids to opt-out, be late, or miss their alternative. After we realized the worth of CLEP and Fashionable States, I labored with my assistant principal on opening a CLEP check heart at our faculty to make it easy and acquainted for college kids to check. It was surprisingly straightforward to arrange and now college students can take their exams throughout the faculty day with out having to rearrange transportation to a check heart.
This accessibility removes important limitations and it’s one of many causes so lots of my college students are succeeding. In case your faculty isn’t a CLEP testing heart but, I encourage you to discover the method. It’s less complicated than you would possibly assume and might make a world of distinction.
I couldn’t be prouder about what my college students are reaching. On the finish of final semester, 100% of my college students who took the U.S. Historical past I CLEP handed, and 92 p.c handed U.S. Historical past II–that’s 30 of my college students incomes school credit score free of charge. Up to now, almost 700,000 learners have taken Fashionable States programs, with 150,000 CLEP exams tried for an estimated tuition and charge financial savings of almost $200 million. Understanding my college students are a part of these exceptional achievements makes their success much more significant.
Fashionable States has been a vital device in my classroom. It’s given college students an inexpensive, accessible pathway to greater schooling. By opening doorways to varsity credit whereas nonetheless in highschool, college students acquire a strong head begin on their journey to greater schooling and future success.