In west-central Florida, Pasco County School District spans a rapidly growing suburban area near Tampa, featuring Gulf Coast beaches, socioeconomic diversity and more than 85 public schools. About half of the county’s students (54%) receive free or reduced-price lunch.
Seven years ago, Pasco High School began offering a magnet option, the Cambridge International program, to bolster enrollment and attract new students. Since then, the district has expanded Cambridge International offerings district-wide for students in all grades, at all levels of achievement.
Chief Academic Officer Vanessa Hilton says the program offerings are helping the district’s equity agenda: “Cambridge is a part of making sure that no subgroup or population of our students has a barrier in front of them that keeps them from a course, a pathway or an interest that they want to pursue.”
Pasco has integrated the Cambridge program into four key strategies to increase equity:
All high schools in the county now offer Cambridge International advanced courses. The district’s success in attracting more students into advanced-level courses has been the large number of course subjects to choose from, matching students’ diverse interests and needs. More than 55 course options are currently available, and many of the courses allow students to earn college credit.
Motivated students can students can pursue the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Diploma, an internationally recognized level of achievement.
“Getting a Cambridge AICE Diploma is not easy, but the kids are doing what they want to do. They’re taking courses they want to take and satisfying the Cambridge requirements. That has been an incredible motivator for our kids.”
Kurt Browning, Superintendent of Pasco County Schools
All of Pasco County’s high school juniors take an advanced English course in the Cambridge curriculum to ensure they develop foundational writing skills. The course fulfills Florida’s English III requirement and gives each student an introduction to college-level writing, no matter what postsecondary path they pursue.
Superintendent Browning says the grade-wide approach allows students to discover, “Hey, I can do this.” Many then challenge themselves with other advanced courses.
At the high school level, Cambridge advanced courses are open to all students who want to sign up, even if they are not in the school’s AICE Diploma program. Open access to courses that appeal to a wide range of interests has helped attract students to advanced academics who might otherwise have opted out.
Hudson High School Principal Alondra Beatty-Woodall said that accessibility to courses is good for all of their students. Popular subjects include media studies and marine science.
Building on success at the high school level, the district added Cambridge International courses at several middle and elementary schools to help more students prepare for advanced coursework in high school.
Pasco Middle School, for example, offers its students open access to Cambridge courses and encourages students to try them. Further, Principal Danielle Johnson uses assessment data to help identify students with potential for success doing advanced work and reaches out to encourage them. At San Antonio Elementary School, the Cambridge program was first offered as a choice program, but Principal Kimberly Anderson decided to use the program for all students. She believes the quality and rigor benefit all students and teachers.
A number of Florida policies have contributed to Pasco’s success with college acceleration, helping the county strengthen and expand access to programs that support student achievement. Notably, since adopting Cambridge International, Pasco County Schools have seen an increase in graduation rates and in students earning college credit and scholarships.
Florida’s policy incentives include:
Learn how Cambridge International partners with schools, districts, and organizations around the US.
