BILL
SUBJECT
DATE
The Business Council of New York State strongly supports S.5875 (Robach) / A.6177 (Pichardo), which would amend the education law to require the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) boards of trustees to establish a new common and clear credit articulation policy for granting college credit to high school students who earn passing scores in advanced coursework.
Currently, there is a disparity in the AP Exam scores required to receive college credit between the CUNY and SUNY systems, with the CUNY system requirements being more restrictive than the SUNY requirements. This inequity is costly to students and families and amendment of it will additionally ensure more students are closer to college completion before they graduate high school.
Advanced coursework for high school students that demonstrates college level performance include: Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and International Baccalaureate (IB). These courses have a proven record of preparing students for college and career due to their rigorous content which challenges students.
Access to this advanced coursework not only better prepares students for college, but increases their likelihood of college graduation by allowing them to accumulate college credits while in high school.
The Business Council supports programs which not only help students attend college, but those that also help ensure New York has the qualified workforce needed to further grow our economy. As such, the Business Council supports S.5875 / A.6177, which would increase equity in college credits for advanced coursework for students in high schools across New York State, ensuring a talented pipeline of students prepared for the challenges of college and the workforce.