A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Advanced Placement Incentive Program (AP)

The Advanced Placement (AP) Incentive Program enables states to reimburse part or all of the cost of Advanced Placement test fees for eligible low-income individuals. In addition, a state educational agency in a state in which no eligible low-income individual is required to pay more than a nominal fee to take Advanced Placement tests in core subjects may use grant funds for activities directly related to increasing the enrollment of low-income individuals in Advanced Placement courses, the participation of low-income individuals in Advanced Placement tests, and the availability of Advanced Placement courses in schools serving high-poverty areas.

There is now a total of 35 grants to states and the District of Columbia. These grants:

• Provide test fee payment assistance to approximately 80,000 low-income students;
• Enable local school districts to develop activities related to increasing: (1) the enrollment of low-income individuals in Advanced Placement courses; (2) the participation of low-income individuals in Advanced Placement tests; and (3) the availability of Advanced Placement courses in schools serving concentrations of low-income students.

Project activities include:

• The use of interactive telecommunications to deliver AP courses to high schools serving disadvantaged students and currently offering no or limited AP opportunities.
• AP summer institutes for teacher preparation with a special emphasis on expanding the participation of both urban and rural teachers at high-poverty schools.
• Information dissemination about the AP Incentive Program through the print, electronic and broadcast media to inform parents about AP tests and test-fee subsidies.

Advanced Placement Incentive Program Information:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/
Phone: (202) 260-2669
Fax: (202) 205-5630

Examples

West Virginia Department of Education

Project Abstract:
West Virginia has shown a consistent commitment to providing the opportunity to participate in the Advanced Placement program to all students. Though West Virginia?s pass rate is still below the national norm, in 1996-97 the pass rate increased by 13 percent. The new Advanced Placement grant is designed to provide assistance for part or all of the cost of Advanced Placement test fees for low-income students, and has enabled West Virginia to offer the courses to a greater student population by removing the economic barrier to those without means to pay the test fees.

The state is implementing the following activities with the use of funds from the Advanced Placement Incentive Program: conducting a media campaign including guaranteed radio spots throughout the entire state; concentrating in the 33 high-poverty counties; producing and distributing an eight-minute video along with accompanying printed materials to promote Advanced Placement classes and exams to individuals throughout West Virginia in grades 9-12; providing funds to West Virginia high schools in high-poverty counties for offering Advanced Placement courses; training teachers in Advanced Placement; and purchasing materials to conduct classes.

Michigan Department of Education

Project Abstract:
The Michigan Virtual University is working collaboratively with the Michigan Institute for Educational Management (MIEM) to offer free, but required, training to the educators that serve as on-site mentors for the student(s) participating from their particular building. The on-site mentors receive weekly reports on student progress, serve as coaches for the student(s) and act as the communication link between the school and the on-line AP instructor to resolve problems and to assist with general student needs.

Michigan State University (MSU) states that on-line communication will be maintained with educators in high schools in order to monitor the effectiveness of the technology-based learning and to make adjustments as necessary. Additionally, meetings take place between area high school educators, Michigan State University professors and representatives of the College Board?s Advanced Placement Program.

A colloquium, sponsored by Michigan State University, will be held in the spring of 2000 to discuss how the on-line AP courses are working, suggestions for improvement, and further courses that should be offered to support academically able high school students in Michigan. Participants will include high school educators who have had students involved in the on-line AP courses, College Board Advanced Placement personnel, Michigan Department of Education staff, technology experts from MSU and educators from the MSU College of Education and support staff from school districts serving high-poverty areas. This group of educators plans to contribute to the electronic, statewide clearinghouse intended for the discovery and exchange of best practices in technology-centered learning, teaching and educational administration.

Colorado Department of Education

Project Abstract:
Colorado currently conducts an Advanced Placement Fee Payment Program to provide reimbursement to low-income students for all or a significant portion of Advanced Placement examination fees. There continues to be a need, however, to increase enrollment of low-income students in Advanced Placement programming, promote participation of these students in Advanced Placement examinations, and increase Advanced Placement programming availability in low-income schools in the state. This project addresses these needs by establishing a steering committee to promote awareness of the project and interest in pursuing the goals of the project; focusing project activities on a limited number of high-poverty schools; providing staff development strategies and mini-grants for schools in order to promote increased enrollment and participation in Advanced Placement examinations; promoting increased availability of Advanced Placement programming through incentive grants to schools; promoting varieties of Advanced Placement programming options at the middle and high school level; developing and promoting use of quality on-line Advanced Placement programming; and developing the state infrastructure to support Advanced Placement programming for the long term. Best practices and processes developed in target schools will be disseminated statewide. The project will be evaluated in terms of actual increases in numbers of target students in target low-income schools and communities taking part in Advanced Placement programming and the actual increase in the availability of Advanced Placement classes to low-income students.

Publications

For more information on the Advanced Placement Incentive Program, please visit http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/news.html.

Additional information may be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/ap/library/, where the following documents and materials are available:

• AP Publications Order Form Fall 1999

• AP Bulletin for Students and Parents 2000

• A Guide to the Advanced Placement System 2000

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[ College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and High School Equivalency Program (HEP) ]