COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 59

October 31, 2003

ADMINISTRATIVE

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Advanced Placement Fee Payment Program

The U. S. Department of Education has awarded the Virginia Department of Education a grant that will enable the department to reimburse all or part of the cost of the 2004 Advanced Placement test fees for economically disadvantaged students, who are enrolled in an Advanced Placement class and plan to take an Advanced Placement test, and students enrolled in an International Baccalaureate Program, who plan to take an International Baccalaureate test. The purpose of this grant is to increase the participation of economically disadvantaged students in advanced classes and testing. While a majority of Virginias high schools participate in the Advanced Placement program, some divisions have indicated that they have students who are capable of taking Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate courses, who cannot afford to take the tests.

Virginias grant award of $150,000 may be adequate to pay for at least one test for all economically disadvantaged students and to pay all or part of additional tests fees for students taking more than one test. Please find attached a survey form requesting that you provide the department with (1) the total number of students in your division who are enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses for the 2003-2004 school year; (2) the number of students who plan to take the Advanced Placement test or IB test in 2003-2004; and (3) how many of these students could be classified in the low-income category. Students eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches, students whose families receive assistance under the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, or students eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program may be classified as low-income. The Department of Education will pay for at least one test for all economically disadvantaged students and develop a formula for distributing any remaining funds to students taking more than one test based upon the data received from this survey.

Please complete the electronic survey no later than December 12, 2003. In order to complete the electronic survey, each division must assign a point-of-contact for the Advanced Placement Fee Payment Program and grant data entry privileges through the Single Sign On for Web Applications. A copy of the survey is attached to help collect the information required on the electronic survey. The electronic survey is available at https://eb01.vak12ed.edu/ssws/com/vdoe/dataAdmin/jsp/LoginContainer.jsp.

For further information, you may contact Faye Rollings-Carter, specialist for foreign languages at frolling@pen.k12.va.us or (804) 225-2593.

JLD/FRC

Attachment: www.pen.k12.va.us/administrators/superintendents_memos/2003/adm059a.pdf