Senate Bill S7830

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S7830

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a
common articulation policy at the state and city university systems
for granting college credit bearing coursework based upon successful
performance on standardized exams completed by high school students

 PURPOSE :

To require the boards of trustees of the State University of New York
and City University of New York to develop a common, clear and fair
credit articulation policy. A uniform, consistent, and evidenced-based
credit-by-exam policy for SUNY and CUNY allows high achieving students
earning passing scores on nationally standardized exams equitable
access to introductory college course credit, affordable tuition
options, a reduction in the accumulation of excess credit hours,
support for seamless transfer and improved college completion rates.
Research findings consistently report the benefits of evidenced based
credit-by-exam policies and the impact on students' college success.
Using the best data available the SUNY and CUNY Boards should compare
the performance of students who successfully complete college
crediting earning coursework in high school to those students who do
not, and based on that study, to adopt a common articulation policy
that establishes that any and all students who achieve a certain
              

evidence based score on an Advanced Placement exams will receive
college credit for their achievement at all State University or City
University campuses.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1. Amends section 355 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision h-1 to require the SUNY Board of Trustees to establish a
new common and clear credit articulation policy for granting college
credit for enrolling students in the 2017-18 academic year and
thereafter who have successfully completed college level coursework in
high school. The policy must be established based on the best research
available and findings of a study that compares the performance of
students who take and complete Advanced Placement, with a score of
three or higher on their AP exam, with students who do not take such
coursework prior to enrolling in SUNY.

Section 2. Amends the section 6206 of the education law to require
that the CUNY board of trustees establish a new common and clear
credit articulation policy for granting college credit for enrolling
students in the 2017-18 academic year and thereafter who have
successfully completed college level coursework in high school. The
policy must be established based on the best research available and
findings of a study that compares the performance of students who take
and complete Advanced Placement, with a score of three or higher on
their AP exam, with students who do not take such coursework prior to
enrolling in CUNY.

Section 3. Establishes the effective date as immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Students who take and successfully complete AP exams in high school
are more likely to enroll, persist and graduate from college than
their counterparts who do not take this rigorous coursework in high
school. Public institutions creating a common, clear and fair credit
articulation policy is a critical tool to both challenging students to
step into the rigor of AP course work and ensuring they receive cost
saving credit for successful completion of those college level exams.

Currently the AP Exam scores required to grant college credit in the
CUNY system are significantly more restrictive than the SUNY
institutions require. In 2015, graduating seniors sent 7138 AP Exam
score transcripts to CUNY. Of those, 2776 of those AP exams
represented scores of 3. These students did not receive college credit
from CUNY. Despite their academic achievement, they were required to
pay to "re-take" an introductory college course.

Requiring SUNY and CUNY to create and enforce a common, clear and fair
credit articulation policy and granting credit for successful
completion of exams can help students graduate on time and save
families money. There simply is no justification for our two world
class State university systems to deny students the college credit
they have earned and the time has come to end these unfair policies.

Potential Cost Savings for New York Students and Families In May 2015,
New York students took a total of 170,658 AP Exams that resulted in
scores of 3, 4, or 5. At an average rate of $254.80 per credit hour
for tuition at New York four-year public institutions, the total
potential college cost savings estimate for New York students and
families is $130,450,975.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately