Published: January 11, 2008 07:38 am      

Senate lawmakers looking to boost high school math, science

Frankfort — College-bound high school pupils would get increased access to advanced placement courses and state government would pay their testing tabs under a wide-ranging education plan proposed Wednesday in the Senate.

Another plan would seek to boost students' performances in high school math and science classes, said Sen. Ken Winters, R-Murray. The proposal also calls for changes to Kentucky's merit-based scholarship program to assure students continue taking rigorous courses throughout their college careers.

"We're putting a high visibility effort forward during this early part of this session to try to get some things off the ground in the education area," Winters said.

Similar proposals failed before the General Assembly last year, after opposition from teacher unions. If passed this year, the legislation would help make Kentucky a "pace setter" in math and science education, Winters said.

Winters, who is the Senate Education Committee chairman, said different pieces of the plan would be considered before a legislative panel on Thursday.

About 50 schools from across the state would have additional access to advanced placement testing, Winters said. The program would also open more students to advanced online math and science courses, Winters said.

Advanced placement classes allow students in high school to earn college credit. They must pass an advanced placement test, which cost about $80 each, to get college credit.

A separate education proposal, that has not yet been filed, would offer incentives to specially qualified teachers in math and science, Winters said. Lawmakers are looking to beef up high school math and science classes and have fewer pupils need remedial courses when they get to college, Winters said.

Sharron Oxendine, president of the Kentucky Education Association, said lawmakers should put additional resources into math and science in elementary schools across the state. Not all pupils are headed for college but still need help in math and science, Oxendine said.

"I'd rather focus on the other 95 percent of the student body," Oxendine said. "Those AP students are going to be successful in spite of us."

The union, which represents Kentucky's public school teachers, also disagrees with proposals to pay math and science more than teachers who instruct in other subjects, Oxendine said.

Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, said Senate Democrats also have a "great desire" to boost state education programs.

"In principle, we certainly do agree, and we want to work with them to try to come up with a bill that is acceptable to our members and is acceptable to the teachers across Kentucky," Worley said.

The legislation is Senate Bill 2.