Schools

FCPS Superintendent Recommends Refunding AP Test Fees

The school system could lose two million dollars in revenue

Superintendent Jack Dale recommended to the school board this week that the school system continue to require students to take Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, if enrolled in the course, but eliminate the related test fees.

Under Dale's proposal, parents would be refunded for all test fees that have already been collected. The elimination of the testing fees will result in a $2.0 million dollar reduction in the 2011 budget, school officials say. Last year the school district announced that students would be charged $75 for each advanced placement course they took.

Based on the third quarter budget review, the loss of revenue for the school system can be accounted for by  changes in revenue and expenditures in the budget. Sales tax revenue for the 2011 budget is estimated to increase by $3.0 million in addition to increases already shown by the mid-year budget review. 

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Additionally the school system expects to pay $2.0 million dollars less in compensation this year, because of increased turnover among school staff. The proposal is awaiting a vote from the school board.

The school system was forced to change its policy regarding AP test fees after  Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli released an opinion in late January, arguing that charging students to take a mandatory exam if enrolled in the course was illegal.

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Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect that the fees also apply to International Baccalaureate exams.

Previous Story(Feb 24): Weeks after  criticism from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, Fairfax County Public Schools has decided to eliminate student fees for Advanced Placement exams.

During the 2011 fiscal year, students were charged $75 for each advanced placement course they took, to help the district pay for the course’s corresponding  exam. The exams, provided by the non-profit The College Board, were costing the district approximately $87 per student.

On Jan. 28, Cuccinelli released an opinion which argued that the fee was illegal because the examination was mandatory, if student enrolled in an Advanced Placement course. Virginia State Senator David Marsden (D-Fairfax) has also questioned the legality of the fee.

“The regulations of the Board of Education prohibit fees or charges unless authorized by the Board. The express purposes for which fees may be charged do not include examinations or classes (other than summer school or postgraduate courses),” said Cuccinelli in his statement.

“Because the Advanced Placement Examination test is the required end-of-course examination, it cannot reasonably be viewed as a service or program for which a fee may be levied.”

In January, Superintendent Jack Dale announced in a press release that he would not propose removing the fee for the 2012 fiscal year budget, despite some scrutiny from parents, county officials and local politicians.

The school  district has not decided what steps it will take to comply with the law. Media spokesperson Paul Regnier said the district could pay for the exams, which would mean parents would be refunded for the fees.  Or the district could eliminate the requirement to take the exam, in which case parents would front the bill, if their child decides to take the exam.   

“If the latter happens, obviously it’s a wash and it won’t cost the school anything. But if they decide to refund the money, I heard a figure of around $2 million, maybe more,” Regnier said.

The district has not calculated the total amount of fees charged to parents this school year.

About 29 high and secondary schools in the district offer Advanced Placement exams, which can enable students to fulfill  general education requirements in college.


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