What do you do when the State cuts funding previously earmarked for Title I School District students Advanced Placement Testing?  This is the question that Pottstown High School counselors were asking when they received notice that the funding which was previously awarded to the students was cut this year and would not be available.  This shortage in funding amounted to $5,400.

High School Guidance Counselor, Amanda Scholwinski applied to the Foundation for Pottstown Education for a grant to cover this shortfall.  The Foundation’s Board of Directors unanimously approved this grant ensuring more than 100 students the ability to take the tests and possibly earn college credit before they enter the college of their choice.

AP exams are college-level tests administered by The College Board (makers of the SAT). Students may take tests in one or more subjects; a comprehensive list of all available AP courses and tests is available at collegeboard.com.  The AP courses and exams can help put students on the fast track to a college degree, giving them the chance to earn college credit while still in high school—not to mention strengthening their college applications.

According to research by The College Board, students who take AP courses do better in college than those who don’t. In fact, students who take AP exams in high school are 62% more likely to graduate from college in four years, and avoid having to pay for extra semesters. Because they are more challenging and require more work than regular high school classes, AP courses help students prepare for the rigors of college coursework.

The tests are taken by in May with results given to the students in July.  The tests have two parts, multiple choices and a free response essay.  How well the student score on these test help individual schools determine whether the students receive college credit, advanced placements or both.  More than 90 percent of four-year colleges in the United States offer these options.

The Foundation for Pottstown Education is a not for profit organization that raises funds to help support opportunities for the students in the Pottstown School District.  These funds are raised through grants, corporate and individual gifts as well as the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program through the State’s Department of Community and Economic Development.  The EITC program enables approved businesses the opportunity to make a donation to an approved not for profits in exchange for a 75-90% tax credit.

For further information on the EITC program, making a donation or questions regarding the Foundation for Pottstown Education, please contact Joe Rusiewicz, Executive Director at 610-970-6616.