COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 53

October 15, 2004

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 2005 Advanced Placement test fees for economically disadvantaged students, who are enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP) class and plan to take an Advanced Placement test; and for 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 but cannot afford to take the tests.

Virginias grant award of $155,000 may be adequate to pay for most tests for all economically disadvantaged students up to 200 per school division. 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 courses and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses for the 2004-2005 school year; (2) the number of students who plan to take the Advanced Placement test or IB test in 2004-2005; (3) how many of these students could be classified in the low-income category and 4) how many pre-AP and pre-IB programs are offered in your school division. 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.

Please complete the electronic survey no later than November 30, 2004. 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.

Attachment: www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2004/adm053a.pdf

JLD/FRC