Middletown Public Schools held a school assembly, Sept. 23, to announce dramatic improvements in Advanced Placement® (AP®) performance in school year 2015-16 resulting from a partnership with the National Math and Science Initiative's (NMSI) College Readiness Program.

The program was funded through a grant from the Department of Defense. The announcement came at a school celebration at Middletown High School (MHS) in Middletown, R.I.

The school posted a 16 percent increase in qualifying scores on AP math, science and English (MSE), and a 100% increase in MSE qualifying scores for minority students (about 8 times the state and U.S. average).

The town of Middletown is one of three communities that border Naval Station Newport and has an overall enrollment of 685 students, 27 percent of which are military dependents.

The ceremony included remarks by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, (D-R.I.) a strong proponent of STEM education programs who was instrumental in getting this grant - the first of its' kind for a school in Rhode Island.

"I am here celebrating your success - your success and hard work as students," he told the students assembled. "You have challenged yourself to take more difficult courses and this program has given you the opportunity to take those advanced courses. Your success is a success for us all," he said.

Middletown High School is one of 160 NMSI partner schools nationwide participating in NMSI's College Readiness Program for Military Families - part of the Department of Defense Military Child STEM Education Program Initiative - that supports improved academic outcomes for military-connected students.

The AP course frameworks and assessments are utilized to support this endeavor as they provide rigorous, reliable and valid measurements of student learning, and continuity for these students whenever and wherever their families are transferred.

Capt. Dennis R.D. Boyer, Commanding Officer of Naval Station Newport, represented the Navy at the event. "We all rely on the communities we live in to educate our children. Programs like this one, provided because there are military students enrolled but available to all of the students within the school, help to show the military's appreciation to those communities who work so hard supporting us."

"The NMSI adds quality and consistency to the schools that service military kids via the grant funding from the Department of Defense," said Pam Martin, Naval Station Newport School Liaison Officer. "Rather than try to target the military students as a subset, the idea here is that the rising tide lifts all boats. If we enhance the educational opportunities available at schools military children attend, they benefit without being singled out."

"The whole community benefits from the program, and the enhanced college readiness of our military students is a protective factor for them going forward," said Martin.

"Proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is crucial to our country's capacity for innovation and future economic growth. NMSI's College Readiness Program is addressing this urgent need by partnering with schools that are committed to raising the academic bar and working with teachers, students and administrators to set and achieve ambitious academic performance goals," said Martin.

The program's key elements of success include shared accountability and goal setting with schools, intensive teacher training and support from expert mentors, more time on task for students through tutoring and study sessions, open enrollment to broaden student participation, and achievement-based awards for teachers and students.

One of the students receiving recognition for passing two AP exams (physics and environmental science) was Navy dependent Isak Sigbjornsson. Sigbjornsson is a senior (ranked 15th out of 141 Seniors) at Middletown H.S. and has spent his entire high school time here in R.I.

"It's difficult for us military kids changing curriculum, having different teachers, and subjects because we move so often. NMSI has helped me to see things different. I know that coming into the school on Saturday's is a bit of a hassle but I encourage any of you to stop in at least once and see how it can help you," he told his schoolmates.

Sigbjornsson's mother, Legalman Senior Chief Karyn Sigurdsson, was previously assigned to the Naval Justice School onboard Naval Station Newport but was reassigned in Sept. 2015 to the Navy Yard in Washington D.C.

Both Isak and his sister, Anja, remained behind with their father in order to complete high school in Middletown. Senior Chief Sigurdson tries to come home to R.I. at least twice a month to spend time with her family but wanted stability for her children during their high school years.