Educators and state leaders participate in the inaugural Alabama Higher Education and K-12 Convening at the 984 Club at Plainsman Park. Co-hosted by Auburn University and College Board, the event focused on strengthening college readiness and students’ transition from high school to college.
Auburn believes in education. The nonprofit organization that administers the SAT and Advanced Placement program believes in it, too.
The university and College Board co-hosted the inaugural Alabama Higher Education and K-12 Convening on Oct. 21, bringing together educators and state leaders to discuss college readiness, academic preparation and student success.
Held in the 984 Club at Plainsman Park, the event focused on strengthening collaboration among K-12 schools, higher education institutions and educational partners to improve students’ transition from high school to college.
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Participants examined Alabama’s college-readiness landscape, discussed access to advanced coursework and explored opportunities for shared advising, early college pathways and other partnerships.
Auburn Vice President for Enrollment Management Joffery Gaymon emphasized that preparing Alabama students for college is a shared responsibility and part of Auburn’s land-grant mission. Through school partnerships, advising and college-readiness programs, the university works to expand educational opportunities for students across the state.
“We want students to arrive at college prepared to succeed,” Gaymon said. “Our partnerships with K-12 educators are an important part of that work, helping us better understand students’ experiences and how we can support their transition to college.”
College Board presented an overview of statewide data on postsecondary participation, access to rigorous coursework and differences in educational opportunities and outcomes. A panel featuring two mathematics teachers highlighted classroom approaches to strengthening mathematics readiness and expanding access to rigorous coursework. Their experiences helped frame a broader discussion about preparing students for college-level mathematics, a foundation for success across a range of academic programs.
Joe Williams, executive director at College Board, emphasized the importance of aligning expectations between schools and universities.
“K-12 leaders, higher education leaders and organizations like College Board share the same goal: increase the number of Alabama students prepared for, and succeeding in, college and career,” Williams said.
Williams noted that more than 16,000 Alabama students in the most recent high school graduating class took at least one Advanced Placement exam, a 12% increase from five years earlier.
Participants shared perspectives on academic rigor, including how expectations differ between high school and college and how AP and dual enrollment opportunities can prepare students for further study. Discussions emphasized the need to communicate those expectations clearly so students and families can make informed decisions.
Dana Wright Marshall, Birmingham City Schools’ AP, International Baccalaureate and specialty schools coordinator, said continued communication can help close gaps between high school and college expectations.
“Each of us sees a different part of the student's journey,” Marshall said. “When K-12, higher education, and state leaders work separately, we define rigor and readiness in our own ways, and students fall into the gaps between those definitions.”
During afternoon small-group sessions, participants explored potential strategies involving rigorous coursework, college advising and navigation, and sustained partnerships. The discussions were intended to identify approaches that institutions and districts could explore or pilot.
The gathering emphasized building relationships and a better understanding of the challenges educators face across schools and colleges. That focus complements Auburn Enrollment Management’s ongoing work through the Office of College Preparation and Success to help Alabama students prepare for and succeed in college.
