AP Computer Science Principles Course: The Beauty and Joy of Computing

Requirements for Participating Principals and Teachers

For Principals:

• Program at least one section of the AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) course for every academic year of the grant period (2015 - 2018) that the school is participating.
• Commit to offering the AP CSP exam to AP Computer Science Principles students in May 2017 and subsequent years.
• Implement a recruitment plan with a focus on enrolling female and underrepresented students into the course. See the College Board’s Resources for Recruiting Female and Underrepresented Minority Students.
• Designate one teacher who will participate in professional development and curriculum development  activities for the duration of the program.

For Teachers:

• Teaching: Teachers must teach at least one section of the full-year AP Computer Science Principles course as provided by the program team during every academic year that school is participating in the program between 2015-2018. Course materials are hosted here.
• Professional development: Teachers must participate in all PD activities. The schedule for 2016-17 includes both face-to-face sessions and self-paced, online learning.  By applying for the BJC program, teachers agree to attend:
  1. Two week-long, full-day sessions during 2016, both held at Math for America through our partnership with EDC:
     • April 25-29 (spring break)
     • August 8-12 (summer break)
  2. Teachers will also participate in 50 hours of self-paced online learning between the April and August PD weeks. We suggest the following breakdown:
     • May 1 -July 8: 10 weeks, an average of 3 hours per week (including 1-hour Skype call);
     • July 18-22, August 1-5: 2 weeks, an average of 10 hours per week
  3. To support self-paced work, teachers will be paid to attend up to 30 hours of in-person help with the curriculum designers. Help sessions will be offered during the following weeks at Math for America through our partnership with EDC:
     • First Week: July 11-15
     • Second Week: July 25-29

  Finally, teachers will be required to attend five six-hour Saturday professional development sessions facilitated by master BJC teachers during the 2016-2017 school year.

  Teachers will be paid for their participation:

  1. 30 hours of per session for each of the April and August face-to-face weeks
  2. A stipend of $1750 for completion of 50 hours of online learning
  3. Up to 30 hours of per session for in-person help with online material.
  4. Per session for five Saturday PD sessions.

  The program will also facilitate a voluntary, ongoing Community of Practice to support all BJC teachers in NYC.

• Curriculum and performance task development activities including:
  • implementation of the BJC curriculum including CS Principles Performance Tasks as written, and submission of student artifacts electronically
  • providing regular feedback on the use of curriculum materials
  • collaboration with fellow cohort teachers and experienced master teachers with regard to classroom instruction and assessment instruments (e.g., projects, homework, exam questions)
  • participation in the scoring of student Performance Task submissions
• Participating teachers will be invited to take part in optional research and evaluation activities including:
  • completion of pre and post surveys for the instructor and students providing enrollment and course completion information for students
  • completion of instructor activity logs and feedback surveys during the course participation in instructor focus groups and/or interviews
  • submission of classroom artifacts and information (e.g., project assignments, midterm and final exams, and scoring distributions)