Press Releases
04/12/2019
Board of Regents Adopts Uniform Advanced Placement Policy
CSCU Will Grant Academic Credit to Students Receiving 3 or Higher on AP Exams
(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) and the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) are pleased to announce that the Board of Regents for Higher Education (BOR) has adopted a uniform policy for advanced placement credit and student placement. Under the new policy, all CSCU institutions will grant academic credits to any student earning a score of 3 and higher on any AP examination. Students transferring from a CSCU community college to a CSCU university or Charter Oak State College or transferring between two-year colleges or between four-year institutions within CSCU with AP scores of 3 and higher shall be considered for the awarding of course credits and/or placement at any CSCU institution.
“This is commonsense policy is a step in the right direction, and I thank the BOR for taking action,” CSCU President Mark Ojakian said. “Thanks in large part to SDE’s outreach efforts, more and more high school students – particularly students from lower-income districts – are taking AP exams each year, and the uniform policy will not just help high school students gain college credit, but it will also make higher education more affordable and accessible.”
“This is wonderful news for our high school students and we appreciate the work of CSCU and BOR to create a policy that will result in more certainty and clarity for Connecticut students during their higher education experience,” said Education Commissioner Dianna R. Wentzell. “The adoption of a uniform policy aligns with existing CSDE efforts that have contributed to a steady increase in AP participation and performance among all students over the past several years, including students of color and those from low-income families. It is an excellent example of how state leaders can and should partner to foster an environment that leads to an increase in student success.”
“A system-wide Advanced Placement credit policy recognizes the hard work of so many Connecticut students achieving a 3 or higher on AP exams and supports the BOR Mission and Vision,” said Dr. Jane Gates, CSCU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
The CSCU and the CSDE recognize that honoring AP courses that students take in high school and awarding college course credits through these examinations advances their preparedness for college success and impacts positively upon the affordability of attending college. The policy allows CSCU institutions to award credits as the equivalent of a specific course, as fulfilling a general education category, or as elective credits.
The CSCU and CSDE originally began exploring the benefits of this policy to students, while also reviewing the relevant research about AP. The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS) and the Connecticut School Counselor Association (CSCA) expressed strong support for such a policy. CAPSS noted that it could help to “keep AP students in the state” and support “their momentum for persistence and retention,” not to mention the substantial savings in time and money. The CSCA observed that school counselors across the state are encouraging students to challenge themselves with college-level coursework while in high school and that such a uniform policy will be efficient and effective in the college planning process.
This is a win for all students pursuing higher education in our state. Read the Advanced Placement Credit and Placement Policy here or visit BOR’s website for more.
- Twitter: CT State Department of Education Twitter
- Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook