ATTENTION CO-OP DIRECTORS, CHILD NUTRITION DIRECTORS, HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND GIFTED AND TALENTED COORDINATORS

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has announced information regarding eligibility criteria for students requesting Exam Fee Reductions and Waivers for Advanced Placement (AP) Exams, Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT), and American College Testing (ACT) Exams.  This guidance is intended for students in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams:

Students are eligible for the AP Exam fee reduction an all AP Exams that they take in a given year if:

• Their family’s income is at or below 185 percent of the poverty level issued annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or

• They qualify as an “identified student” because they are

• In foster care or Head Start, or

• Homeless or migrant, or

• Living in households that receive SNAP/Food Stamps – (Direct Certification)

Financial guidelines and additional criteria for students are available on the AP Central website:  http://apcentral.collegboard.com.

Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT):

Students are eligible for fee waivers for the SAT if they are in the 11^th or 12^th grade if the answer to any of the following questions is yes:

• A student is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) as a free or reduced student.

• The family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines (https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/income-eligiblity-guidelines) set by USDA Food and Nutrition Services

• A student is enrolled in federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families such as Upward Bound.

• The family receives public assistance.

• The family lives in federally subsidized public housing or a foster home, or are homeless.

• A student is a ward of the state or an orphan.

More information may be found on the SAT website:  https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/fees/fee-waivers

American College Testing (ACT):

Students who receive fee waivers from ACT must meet ALL eligibility requirements:

• Be currently enrolled in high school in the 11^th or 12^th grade

• Be a US citizen

• Meet one or more of the economic indicators of economic need     

• Enrolled in a federal free or reduced price lunch program based on US Department of Agriculture (USDA) income guidelines

• Enrolled in a program for the economically disadvantaged such as GEAR UP or Upward Bound

• Resides in a foster home, is a ward of the state, or is homeless

• Family receives low-income public assistance or lives in a federally subsidized public housing

• Family’s total income is at or below USDA levels for free or reduced-price lunches

Additional information may be obtained from the ACT website:  https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/FeeWaiver.pdf

Information on Community Eligibility Provision can be found at:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/community-eligibility-provision-resource-center