| February 11, 2002
SUBJECT: AP/IB Examination Campus Awards When the Texas Legislature adopted the Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate (IB) Incentive Program in 1993, it intended to reward students, teachers, and campuses for high achievement. Because of additional funding provided in 1999 by the Texas Legislature for the AP/IB Incentive Program, campus awards for student performance will be awarded for the first time. Until now, limited funding has not permitted many of the law's provisions to be put into effect. Section 28.053 (a)(2) enables the Texas Education Agency to award up to "$100 for each student who scores a three or better on a college advanced placement test or four or better on an international baccalaureate examination." After reviewing all of the data from both College Board, which administers the AP examinations, and IB North America, which is responsible for the IB examinations, campuses will be awarded $100 for each student who scored three or above on an AP examination or four or above on an IB examination administered in the 2001 school year. The attached list indicates the dollar amount of the award for each of the high schools in your district. The law specifically states that these are "school awards." Further, Chapter 28.055(b) states, "A school shall give priority to academic enhancement purposes in using an award received under the program." Although the awards are being deposited into district accounts, the funds generated for these awards should be directed to the campus that earned them. Also, while that campus would determine the uses for the academic enhancement funds, it is not required that all funds be spent at that specific campus. The following examples may be of assistance in determining how funds may be used. · Example 1: High school A was awarded $2,000. A committee composed of both AP and non-AP teachers reviewed student data and decided that the best use of the money was to assure that the mathematics curriculum was articulated in grades 6-12 and prepared students for the AP Calculus course. The committee decides to hold a three-day workshop session for a vertical team of math teachers from both the feeder middle schools and the high school that received the awards to review and articulate the mathematics curriculum. The funds will be used to pay for room rentals, stipends, printing, and other related expenses. AP/IB Campus Awards · Example 2: The AP Incentive Program reimburses districts that send their AP teachers to College Board approved summer institutes. However, no state funds are available for pre-AP teacher training. High School B, which received $1,200, was disappointed with the results on the AP English Language Composition examination. High School B decides to send the middle school language arts teachers to a pre-AP summer institute so they have a better understanding of goals, objectives, and standards required for AP. They also arrange a meeting of all language arts teachers before school starts so they can begin planning for greater student participation in AP. · Example 3: High School C has an IB program and it receives $1,500 for its examination scores. After reviewing all of the program's results, it determines that more materials are needed for students to do well in the Language B component of the program. Video and printed materials in Spanish are purchased for the media center so students will have more research options available to them. · Example 4: Middle school D received $3,000 for the performance of its students on the AP Spanish Language examination. The middle school Spanish language teachers want to use the funds for a retreat during the summer so they can work with high school teachers on developing an advanced language strand at the high school level. Further, the law also states that the funds should be used for "academic enhancements." This means that the funds should be used to supplement, not supplant, other funding that the school receives. Finally, later this year, your campus principals will be sent a survey and asked to provide information on how the campus awards are being used to improve academic services. This AP/IB Incentive money was included in legislation to assure that campuses were recognized for their diligence and commitment to advanced level services. Should you have any questions regarding these funds, please contact the Division for Advanced Academic Services at the agency by email at gted@tea.state.tx.us or by telephone at 512/463-9455. On behalf of the Texas Education Agency, I want to commend you and the staffs of your participating high schools for their dedicated efforts that challenge students to perform at the highest levels. Sincerely yours, Ann Smisko Enclosures APPROPRIATE USES FOR MONIES AWARDED UNDER THE AP/IB INCENTIVE PROGRAM The monies received under the AP/IB Incentive Program should be used to supplement, not supplant, other funding that the district/campus receives. Listed below are both appropriate and inappropriate uses for the AP/IB Campus Award monies. AP/IB Campus Awards may be used for: Any Pre-AP or AP teacher training AP/IB Campus Awards may not be used for: Student bonuses, awards, scholarships, or any payment that could
be considered financial gain for the student |