Methods for Academic and Personal Success is an AISD program/course designed to help freshmen during their transition to high school. MAPS first begin when the Austin High School Freshman Initiative Committee sought to enhance opportunities for incoming freshman. A teacher wrote the curriculum the first year based off Performance Psychology components. During the second year of MAPS implementation, Austin High was able to partner with the Department of Social and Emotional Learning and add School Connect activities to enrich the curriculum.

MAPS expanded to five campuses in the district, including Austin, Bowie, Crockett, LBJ, and McCallum high schools. With the help of the Department of SEL, Austin High teacher R. Keeth Matheny trained and supported 40 MAPS teachers in the district who are delivering lessons to more than 1,100 freshmen in addition to other student support curriculum developed on their campuses. The course helped reduce freshman class failures, as well as improved attendance and attitudes toward school for many students making the transition from middle to high school.

This video was produced at Austin High School and features Keeth Matheny, who provides an overview of the course and the impact on student success.