Nevada gets $300k for AP test fees for low-income students

The Michigan Department of Education is receiving a $512,926 federal grant to help defray the costs of taking Advanced Placement tests for low-income students.

The U.S. Department of Education announced a round of grants for more than 30 states on Wednesday.

During a conference call with reporters, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Dale Erquiaga said only 79 low-income students in Nevada completed the AP exam in 2003.

Department Delegated Deputy Secretary John King said the grants help to eliminate barriers for “historically underserved students” including African-American and Latino students. From 2014 to 2015, preliminary results show that the number of tests for low-income students covered by the program increased from 768,772 to 831,913-an improvement of more than 7 percent.

The Obama administration’s commitment to equity in education underlies almost every significant activity of the Education Department-from programs focused on early learning to college affordability and tools for reducing student debt.

The program allows test to be offered to low income students for a price of $12 or lower. That participation climbed to 4,762 low-income students this year, according to Erquiaga.

“In a state like mine that’s critical”, Erquiaga said.

While the number of students taking AP tests has grown in Rhode Island over the last decade, the state has struggled to reach passing rates that match other states in New England.