Fast Growth School Coalition continues to shine a light on our platinum corporate partners with our ongoing profile series. For this edition, we’re learning more about the College Board and its relationship with fast growth schools.

FGSC’s Dr. Greg Smith sat down with Jill Schott, Senior Director of State and District Partnership at the College Board: 

Dr. Smith: What does your company do and how important is it to your business to connect with fast-growth school districts?

Jill Schott, College Board: College Board’s mission is to connect students to success and opportunity. Our K-12 programs include the SAT Suite of Assessments and Advanced Placement. It’s important for us to connect with fast-growth school districts 

Dr. Smith: Why do you support the Fast Growth School Coalition?  

Schott: Many of our partners with the most robust AP programs, and who adopted the SAT Suite earliest are “fast-growth.” 

Dr. Smith: Given College Board’s expertise, as well as knowing schools across Texas are navigating a post-pandemic set of challenges, what advice or resources can you offer?

Schott: As fast growth schools address pandemic learning loss, they can use PSAT-related assessments to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses on the most essential skills for college and career training programs and adapt instruction based on this information. Federal relief money can be spent to “administer high-quality assessments that are valid and reliable to accurately assess students’ academic progress and assist educators in meeting students’ academic needs.” 

Additionally, Pre-AP courses give students the space and time to focus on fewer essential topics in greater depth, recover from unfinished learning in prior years, and achieve grade-level success. Pre-AP courses meet published recommendations from leading organizations, including guidance issued by the United States Department of Education, for how to address lost instructional time.

Dr. Smith: Our coalition is stronger with our member districts and corporate partners like College Board that bring relevant content and professional expertise to fast growth schools and their students, all across our state.