For the 2023-24 school year, Montgomery County Public Schools has decided to pay for all Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for students. This huge success is in collaboration with Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, aimed at increasing the opportunities for students in need who previously could not take the exams due to financial issues. Students enrolled in an AP or IB course will be encouraged to participate in the corresponding exam.
The cost in most U.S. schools is $98 per AP exam and $119 per IB exam. In the past, MCPS has offered AP/IB exam fee waivers for students with financial need. However, paying for all fees opens up doors for more students to take advantage of AP courses and earn college credit.
“I am taking advantage of this opportunity by registering for additional AP exams that I originally was not planning on taking,” Poolesville High School sophomore Nitya Durgam, currently enrolled in three AP courses, said.
All 25 high schools in MCPS offer AP courses, and eight offer IB. More than 70% of MCPS students are enrolled in AP/IB courses. These courses, which offer academic rigor and accelerated learning pathways, are often linked to greater academic success in college as well as higher graduation rates.
The funding for exams comes as a relief to many students, including Richard Montgomery High School sophomore Katherine Sundstrom.
“I’m taking three AP’s this year, so I am definitely relieved. There’s also less pressure to get a five on the exam since exam expenses aren’t coming out of my own pocket,” Sundstrom said.
“For IB, it’s great that the mandatory tests I have to take to earn the IB diploma will be paid for. Any financial barriers or concerns for people who want to join IB might also be removed.”
Montgomery County’s education resources this year extend beyond expanded reach to college-level courses. More notions continue to be phased in besides funding all AP/IB exam fee costs, such as funding all dual enrollment costs, a $10,000 bonus for all National Board-Certified teachers, universal pre-Kindergarten, and others. Additionally, MCPS will provide transportation to Montgomery College campuses during the school day for college courses that are not available online or at a student’s high school.
However, there still exists some confusion surrounding MCPS’s monumental decision.
“But it’s kind of confusing: MCPS said anyone who is in AP Classroom is covered, while people who are self-studying still have to pay the exam fees. I’m enrolled in IB French, a class shared with AP French, so we all joined AP Classroom. I’m not sure if I have to take the exam then, or if I’m even allowed to since I’m technically not taking AP French,” Sundstrom said.
A step forward in helping to make AP/IB exams, and classes by extensions, more accessible, MCPS is establishing a standard for higher education accessibility. Increased participation in college-level curricula sets students up for success, and MCPS’s initiatives to enrich student experiences set a hopeful tone for the future of learning.
Written by Chloe Chang of Poolesville High School
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