FOR RELEASE: September 8, 2006 |
Contact: Trey Ditto (202) 401-1576 |
Washington DC Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the award of 33 grants totaling $17 million to boost participation of low-income students in advanced placement courses and tests.
The grant is being provided to states, school districts, and national education nonprofits to help increase advanced placement access rates for economically disadvantaged students.
"We are committed to continuing to expand access to advanced placement programs that will provide more disadvantaged high school students the opportunity to take challenging courses so that they will enter college or the global marketplace ready to excel," Secretary Spellings said.
Under the department's Advanced Placement Incentive Program, grants can be used for teacher training, curriculum development, books, supplies and other activities directly related to expanding participation in AP courses and tests for low-income students.
Since 1955, the College Board's Advanced Placement program has enabled secondary students to participate in college-level courses in high school and earn credit or placement toward their college programs.
Through the years, high schools that feature programs like Advanced Placement have been found to help raise the academic standards of high achieving students by encouraging more of them to pursue and master advanced coursework. These learning opportunities prepare students for college by providing them with rigorous academic experiences that are formally recognized by the colleges themselves.
According to the College Board, last spring, 1.2 million students took more than 2 million AP Exams.
Traditionally, 11th- and 12th-graders take an AP exam after completing the corresponding AP course. However, participation in an exam is open to any student regardless of course participation or grade level.
In the U.S., more than 90 percent of colleges and universities have a policy of granting incoming students credit, placement, or both, for qualifying AP test scores.
Federal financial support for Advanced Placement began in 1998 with a program to help offset the cost of AP exams for economically disadvantaged students. Today, the Advanced Placement Test Fee program supplements student test fees in 43 states.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 added the Advanced Placement Incentive Program to help expand and implement new AP programs around the country.
ALBirmingham, City of Birmingham Board of Education, $921,082
AZPrescott, Yavapai County Education Service Agency, $207,393
CARichmond, West Contra Costa Unified School District, $292,621
CASan Diego, AVID Center, $764,878
CASan Diego, San Diego City Schools, $707,066
DCWashington, Friendship Public Charter School, $249,360
DEDover, Delaware Department of Education, $871,595
FLFort Myers, School District of Lee County, $310,905
FLNaples, Collier County Public Schools, $773,906
ILChicago, Chicago Public Schools, District #299, $954,745
LABaton Rouge, Louisiana Department of Education, $346,097
LAMonroe, Ouachita Parish School System, $493,512
LALake Charles, Calcasieu Parish School System, $186,418
MEAugusta, Maine Department of Education*, $150,000
MOSt. Louis, Board of Education of the City of St. Louis, $975,163
MTRonan, Ronan School District #30, $613,701
NCGreensboro, Guilford County Schools, $283,317
NCRaleigh, North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, $549,297
NJEast Orange, East Orange School District, $770,757
NJPassaic, Passaic Public Schools, $609,825
NYDunkirk, Dunkirk City School District, $311,285
NYNew York, International Baccalaureate North America*, $460,200
NYNiagara Falls, Niagara Falls City School District, $411,841
NYSyracuse, Syracuse City School District, $150,000
ORSalem, Oregon Department of Education, $461,622
SCCharleston, Charleston County School District, $313,195
SCLancaster, Lancaster County School District, $639,188
TNMemphis, Memphis City Schools, $638,875
TNNashville, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, $630,883
TXDonna, IDEA Academy, Inc., $383,700
TXKenedy, Kenedy Independent School District, $607,587
TXLewisville, Eagle Academies of Texas, $713,654
WAVancouver, Evergreen School District #114 Area 1 Schools, $317,098
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