State Policy
Taking action to connect all students to success and opportunity
The College Board is actively involved in influencing education policy in nearly all of the fifty states. As a result of relationships with key policymakers in many state capitals, the College Board works to support new state policies and initiatives that connect all students to college success and opportunity.
In particular, the College Board provides technical assistance to the states as they seek to:
- Raise academic standards
- Increase course rigor
- Promote educational equity
- Increase teacher and counselor professional development opportunities
- Promote strong P–16 alliances
One of the primary areas of focus of the College Board's state strategy is our collaboration with states to create new legislation, and executive action that increases student access to and success in AP® courses.
Model policy: exemplary state policies that help students prepare for college
Across the nation, educators and policymakers have succeeded in helping a wider segment of the U.S. student population than ever before to engage in rigorous coursework and prepare for college success. The following are examples of exemplary state policies that may serve as models to other states interested in improving student achievement and expanding readiness for college.
Florida
Through a far-reaching set of initiatives embodied in the College Board Florida Partnership for Minority and Underrepresented Student Achievement, the state of Florida has dramatically expanded AP participation and performance among African American and Hispanic students. The result is that the percentage of AP students who are Hispanic exceeds the percentage of non-AP students who are Hispanic.
The legislation codifying the Partnership in statute has been hailed as exemplary by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Southern Regional Education Board. See:
- Getting It Done: Ten Steps to a State Action Agenda: A Guidebook of Promising State and Local Practices (page 14)
- SREB States Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programs (page 4)
Arkansas
The state of Arkansas enacted comprehensive landmark legislation to expand access to and success in AP. This legislation set the stage for Arkansas to achieve the greatest one-year increase of AP grades 3 and higher in the nation from 2005 to 2006. The Southern Regional Education Board recognized the legislation as a model for other states. See:
Minnesota
The state of Minnesota has implemented legislation supporting improved preparation for and expanded access to college through funding incentives to public and nonpublic schools for AP and Pre-AP teacher training and AP Exam fee assistance as well as funding for CLEP® exam fee assistance.
Illinois
The state of Illinois has enacted the College and Career Success for All Students Program with competitive grants to school districts emphasizing AP training for teachers, counselors, and principals.
Texas
The state of Texas created the Texas AP Incentive Program to encourage high achievement in AP through funding incentives for schools, teacher training, and AP Exam fee assistance.
Maryland
To encourage more rigorous coursework and eliminate duplicative testing, the state of Maryland, with support from the U.S. Department of Education, approved AP Exams as alternatives for the state's end-of-course High School Assessments. Maryland is among the first states in the nation to offer this option to students.
Maine
To engage all Maine students in instruction and assessment intended to raise expectations and increase readiness for college, the state of Maine has adopted the use of the SAT® as its state assessment for high school accountability. The state has adopted the use of the PSAT/NMSQT® as an early diagnostic assessment in grade 10.
Oregon
The legislature has enacted legislation and sent it to the governor for signature calling for an early diagnostic assessment in grade 10 to identify students likely to succeed in AP.
Developing a plan for expanding AP®
State policymakers can take the lead in expanding access to and success in AP courses through a simple and straightforward 6-point plan.