ADE Commissioner Jacob Oliva
Jacob Oliva
Secretary | Read Bio 
Department of Education

Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Arkansas Advanced Placement Computer Science A Incentive Program for School Year 2021-2022

Memo Information

Memo Number
COM-22-039
Memo Date
8/27/2021
Memo Type
Informational
Unit
Central Administration
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Federal Programs; Superintendents; Assistant Superintendent; Principals; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators; General Business Managers; Teachers; Gifted & Talented Coordinators; Curriculum Coordinators; Bookkeepers; School Counselors; Techstart Coordinators or Contact Name; Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Child Nutrition Directors/Managers; Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); District Coordinators (ALE; Homeless; ESOL; SDFS & Foster); Parent Involvement Coordinators/Facilitators; CTE Coordinator (COOPs and regular school districts); Facilities / Maintenance Director

Primary Contact Information

Secondary Contact/s Information

Memo Text

The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) is pleased to announce the continuation of the Arkansas Advanced Placement Computer Science A Incentive Program. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of qualifying scores (3, 4, or 5) on the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science (CS) A exam. This program will not apply to the College Board AP CS Principles exam or any other exam.

Under this program Arkansas students and schools may be eligible to receive a tiered monetary incentive/reward when the student receives one computer science flex credit for successfully completing an AP CS A course in an Arkansas public school and makes a qualifying score on the AP CS A exam taken between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The tiered rewards are as follows:

  • For a qualifying score of 5 on the AP CS A exam, an Arkansas public school student can receive up to $1000.00, with the school receiving up to $250.00,
  • For a qualifying score of 4 on the AP CS A exam, an Arkansas public school student can receive up to $750.00, with the school receiving up to $150.00, and
  • For a qualifying score of 3 on the AP CS A exam, an Arkansas public school student can receive up to $250.00, with the school receiving up to $50.00.

Student scores will be verified by official College Board data shared with ADE during the fall of 2022. Payments to schools/students will be processed by November 30, 2022. Student award payments will be sent to the school district for distribution.

Each student may only receive any of the above awards once, and teachers may not receive multiple awards for the same student.

ADE is anticipating an allocation of up to $175,000.00 for this fifth year of the incentive program. This incentive program may be canceled and/or incentive amounts, including individual award amounts, are subject to change at the discretion of ADE, with or without advanced notice, and is subject to available funding and allowable appropriation of funds.

Because of testing delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, awards for the Arkansas Advanced Placement Computer Science A Incentive Program for School Year 2020-2021, last school year’s program, will not be distributed until November 2021. 

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