Massachusetts gets $700K fed grant to defray AP exam costs

$28.4 million in grant money was handed out to Pennsylvania, 37 other states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.

Kentucky is receiving $505,000, while Tennessee was awarded $256,000.

AP tests are usually taken after a corresponding AP class, and students can earn college credit if they pass the exam. Each test costs $91, and students sometimes take multiple exams.

How much each state receives was determined using state estimates of the numbers of tests that would be taken by low-income 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.

King says this is important to improving the performance of students in lower income households. “Secretary Duncan and I both believe it is our role to help eliminate barriers whenever possible”.

“In a state like mine that’s critical”, Erquiaga said. The program allows test to be offered to low income students for a price of $12 or lower.

The initiative will promote the state as a global destination for post-secondary education.