MADISON APPOINTED TO NATIONAL ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMMISSION

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Dean Bernard Madison of Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, University of Arkansas, has been appointed to the National Commission on the Future of the Advanced Placement Program.

The 15-member commission will conduct its first meeting in March to begin discussions on ways to ensure the future health and vitality of the AP Program. The commission's goal is to expand the program’s role in improving American education and fostering collaborations among high schools and colleges.

AP courses give students the opportunity to pursue college-level studies while still in high school for which they receive advanced placement and/or course credit upon entering a college or university. The courses are taught in the individual high schools, and students earn college credits based on how well they perform on an official AP Exam.

"A major challenge facing this commission will be ensuring we maintain excellence as we expand the program," said Madison. "This vital program has served millions of American high school students, helping them to succeed when they get to college. I am honored to be a member of the group that will determine the future of the AP Program."

Begun as a small experiment almost a half century ago, the program has become a model of educational excellence for high school students who take college-level courses. Last year the College Board, which administers the program, offered more than 1 million AP exams in 32 subject areas.

"AP has become a cornerstone of education reform efforts," said Donald M. Stewart, president of the College Board. "The work of this Commission, among other things, will be to judge in what specific ways, and to what extent, AP can play a useful part in realizing the best hopes for the future of American education."

The commission will meet four or five times over the next two years. Its chairs are James Freedman, president emeritus of Dartmouth University, and Jenny Krugman, College Board trustee.

According to a recent College Board report, 54 percent of the nation’s 22,000 high schools offer at least one AP course. The average participating high school offers six AP courses and administers 81 examinations.

This year marks the first time federal funding will support AP initiatives by individual states. The government has allocated $3 million to supplement state support or to pay part of or all of the cost of AP fees of low-income students who are enrolled in AP classes.

Arkansas has allocated $750,000 for the next biennium to fund materials and equipment grants for AP classes, AP Exam fee subsidies for students with financial need and AP teacher training. Beginning in the 1997-98 school year, pre-AP teachers received funds to attend College Board AP conferences and summer institutes.

The state will also pay $50 toward the fee for the third and all subsequent AP Exams taken by any student in a given year.

The University of Arkansas has offered credit for AP courses for two decades and gives credit in 26 subject areas. AP credits also are taken into consideration for competitive scholarships. The U of A also is offering an AP Summer Institute for high school teachers in July.

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