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The Business Council supports S.2713 (Chu)/A.7836 (Eachus) that would establish an advanced coursework and examination access program. This bill, which would have significant educational opportunity impacts on high school students and high schools across the state, outlines increasing access to examinations by ensuring that financial burdens are not a barrier to education. It also provides an incentive for schools and districts to support their students in taking AP courses and examinations.
Credit earned through advanced placement examinations ensure that students build foundational college coursework skills. These include boosting time management, literacy confidence, and subject specific expertise— all equally important for success as a member of society and a part of the workforce— as more and more begin to incorporate project-based learning components.
Increased admission acceptance and degree completion are directly correlated with the number of AP exams a student takes. Data shows that students taking just one AP exam are more likely to graduate with a 4-year degree and will have better college outcomes.1 Students able to earn college credits through AP examinations can look forward to a decrease in their degree cost as earning these credits while in high school are of no tuition cost to them, beyond the cost of the exam.
It is especially important that NYS recognizes that AP exams scores go beyond the use of college acceptance and sets a national standard across the country as a measurement of student achievement. Without this measure, many students are unfortunately forced to take lower-level perquisite classes leading to a longer college experience and increased degree cost.2
For these reasons, The Business Council supports S.2713 (Chu)/A.7836 (Eachus) and will continue to prioritize students having the opportunity to earn college credit at the high school level. This bill will have positive impacts on both the educational system and the workforce within NYS.
Background:
In 2023, NYS had over 165,000 high school students take AP exams. Of those students, 41% were low-income, 27% higher than the national average. This number is predicted to increase as more and more families take advantage of AP exams at the high school level given its tuition savings in earning a college degree. Fow low-income students, in 2023, there was a tuition savings of $46M based on average in-state tuition and fees per credit hour at a 4-year institution.
Despite this significant increase the NYS budget has remained stagnant in support of AP and IB courses and exams. Since 2019, there has been a 0% increase in the enacted NYS budget for this. As a result, AP course exam cost has increased from $5 to $21. A constant increase in students taking the exams with no increase in funding has unfortunately left no other option.