ADE introduces incentives

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Education announced this week the creation of the Arkansas Advanced Placement Computer Science A Incentive Program.

The purpose of the incentive program is to increase the number of qualifying scores on Advanced Placement Computer Science A exams. Arkansas public school students and schools may be eligible to receive a monetary incentive when students earns one computer science flex credit for successfully completing an AP Computer Science A course and receiving a qualifying score on the AP exam taken between Aug.

1, 2017, and May 30, 2018. A student who receives a computer science flex credit can substitute the credit for a fourth math credit or third science credit required for high school graduation. The program will not apply to the AP Computer Science Principles exam or any other AP exam.

“I am proud of the increase in the number of high school students who are studying computer science, but the quality of the instruction is what matters,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “The Arkansas Department of Education’s incentive for high scores on the AP Computer Science A exam is a terrific way to reward our students for their hard work in school. The real payoff for their hard work, of course, is when they show their excellent transcripts to potential employers who offer good salaries for their skills.”

The tiered rewards will provide $1,000 to each student for a qualifying score of 5 on the AP Computer Science A exam and $250 to their school $750 to each student for a qualifying score of 4 and $150 to their school, and $250 to each student for a qualifying score of 3 with $50 to the their school.

Student scores will be verified by official College Board data shared with the ADE during the summer of 2018. Payments to schools and students, which are subject to program and funding availability, will be processed by Sept. 30, 2018. Student reward payments will be sent to the school district for distribution.