"AP Access and Success" plan expands opportunity for Maryland students.  Detailed policy proposal builds on success, waives test fees for AP exams and helps families save on college costs.

Martin O'Malley joined with Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith to release his "AP Access and Success" college readiness plan. The detailed policy proposal will expand opportunity for Maryland students by waiving Advanced Placement test fees helping Maryland families save on college costs.

"To move Maryland forward, we must continue to create and save jobs - and the single most important tool we have in our state to grow Maryland's small business and economy is education," said Governor O'Malley.  "We are committed to providing our children with a safe learning environment, making college more affordable, and giving our students the access and the opportunity to succeed."

Recognizing the strong correlation between AP participation and college success, Governor O'Malley and Lieutenant Governor Brown are proposing that the State direct $3 million of education funds to cover the cost of AP exams for all Maryland students. The "AP Access and Success" Plan is projected to reduce the number of students requiring developmental education, resulting in a reduction in cost to the State. As part of this proposal, the Governor will ask the P-20 Council to make recommendations for dedicating a portion of the anticipated savings to support this initiative.

To ensure that the State has the resources to accommodate the increase in AP enrollment, the "AP Access and Success" plan will be phased in over a two-year period.  In the first year, academic year 2011-2012, the State will cover the cost of key STEM-focused AP exams for all students, including Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science, and Physics as well as PSAT testing for all high school students. In the second year, the "AP Access and Success" Plan will expand to include AP exams in all disciplines. Today's announcement will help those students who otherwise could not afford the $86 fee per subject for Advanced Placement exams the opportunity to take the exams and earn college credit. "AP Access and Success" will also help ensure that students graduate on time saving families additional college costs.

According to a recent report, Maryland leads the nation in the number of public school students achieving success in AP for the second consecutive year. Nearly  25 percent of Maryland's class of 2009 achieved an AP Exam score of three or higher during their high school years-the highest percentage of any state in the nation and well above the national rate. The number of Maryland students participating in AP coursework has increased by more than 50 percent since 2004. Today's announcement builds on the release of Governor O'Malley's "Building Maryland Schools" plan which commits an additional $1 billion over the next four years to improve our public schools and provide our children with the best possible learning environment.

In his first term, Governor O'Malley surpassed the recommendations of the Kopp Commission to rebuild Maryland's schools. In addition, Governor O'Malley has provided record investments in public education each year he has been in office -including $5.7 in funding for this year alone. Many other states have policies to increase AP access and success.  In Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky, for example, the State covers the entire AP exam fee, subject to appropriations. The State of Georgia covers a student's first AP exam in full and pays for all high school sophomores to take the PSAT/NMSQT. Indiana covers the cost of all science and math AP exams in addition to the PSAT/NMSQT for all high school sophomores. The State of Maine mandates that all high school sophomores take the PSAT and covers the cost of the testing.

For more information, visit www.martinomalley.com.