$17 million awarded in advanced placement grants: funds provide increased access to rigorous course work for economically disadvantaged students

Achiever, The,  Oct, 2006  by Nicole Ashby

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Last month, the U.S. Department of Education awarded 33 grants totaling $17 million to states, school districts and national education nonprofit organizations to boost participation of students from low-income families in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and tests.

Under the Department's Advanced Placement Incentive Program, which was created as part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, these grants are to be used for professional development for teachers, curriculum development, books and supplies, and other activities directly related to increasing access to and participation in AP courses and tests for students from low-income families.

Since 1955, the College Board's AP program has enabled secondary students to participate in college-level courses in high school and earn credit toward or advanced standing in their college programs. In addition, through the years, programs like Advanced Placement have helped to raise high school academic standards and levels of student achievement by encouraging more students to pursue and master advanced course work.

Traditionally, 11th- and 12thgraders take an AP examination after completing the corresponding AP course. However, participation in an exam is open to any student regardless of course participation or grade level. Last spring, 1.2 million students took more than 2 million AP exams, according to the College Board.

In the U.S., more than 90 percent of colleges and universities have a policy of granting incoming students credit, advanced placement or both, for qualifying AP test scores.

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