Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman reported today that the New Mexico Public Education Department has been awarded $98,800 in federal funds to help students pay for Advanced Placement (AP) tests.  

Funding was awarded through the U.S. Department of Education and will make it possible for the state to help low-income students pay for all or portions of the fees for AP or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests.  The $98,800 will make it possible to help pay for 3,800 AP tests in the state.  Bingaman is the author of legislation that created the AP Test Fee program. 

"The Advanced Placement program helps high school students get a jump on their college education.  But test fees can be a major barrier for students  This funding will help ensure that cost will not stand in the way of students benefitting from AP programs," Bingaman said.

The AP program, administered by the College Board, is an internationally recognized set of approximately 30 rigorous courses in subjects ranging from history to chemistry.  The classes are taught to high-school students at their schools by specially trained teachers.  Students can obtain college credit for an AP course by passing a standardized exam.

Bingaman is a strong supporter of the AP program and has been at the forefront of efforts to expand the program to more disadvantaged students -- by helping states lower exam fees and train more teachers -- and fought to make sure that the AP program was an essential component of No Child Left Behind.