AP Access Fund

Shortly after taking office, Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib learned that Congressional budget cuts and policy changes were expected to leave approximately 15,000 high-achieving, low-income students without a way to pay for their Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams and earn college credit. He found that unacceptable. In response, the Lt. Governor's Office partnered with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and generous donors to create the AP Access Fund, a public-private partnership to raise funds so that every student receiving free or reduced cost lunch can take AP and IB exams for free.

On March 2, the Office of the Lt. Governor joined OSPI in announcing that the AP Access Fund reached its goal. Thanks to the generosity of Microsoft, the Schultz Family Foundation, Boeing, and nearly a dozen other donors, and with the support of Superintendent Chris Reykdal, the College Success Foundation, and Challenge Seattle, Washington is now able to dedicate nearly a million dollars of public and private money to guarantee access to college credits for each of these 15,000 hard-working students.Before the state reached its goal, the AP Access Fund received praise for its swift and innovative response. Trevor Packer, Senior Vice President at the College Board, wrote in a Feb. 17 letter addressed to the Lt. Governor's office:

“What you are doing is, frankly, unprecedented in state educational leadership; we have never yet seen a state leader rally private industry to contribute to students’ college readiness and affordability through a small, but incredibly meaningful way – reducing the cost of college credit exams like AP and IB.”

Read more about the initiative and the initial challenge in the Seattle Times and Education Week.

• Seattle Times | April 6, 2017 | Schools should be a path to equality, not a segregated obstacle

• Seattle Times | April 4, 2017 | With $800,000 raised, cost won’t keep any Washington student from taking IB, AP exams

• Education Week | March 2, 2017 | AP Exams free for low-income students in Washington State

• Education Week | February 15, 2017 | Washington State Holds Fundraiser to Pay for AP Exam Fees

• The Seattle Times | February 15, 2017 | Help on the way for students who lost financial aid for college level exams

• The Oklahoman | July 17, 2016 | Oklahoma teacher: Eliminating barriers to Advance Placement opportunity

• Seattle Times | December 16, 2016 | Low-income students forced to pay more for Advanced Placement, IB exams

• Education Week | January 17, 2017 | Schools Grappling With Fee Hikes for AP Exams