NC budget proposal could force parents to pay for AP exams, Brunswick County Schools responds

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A budget proposal in the North Carolina Senate could force parents to foot the bill for their children’s Advanced Placement exams.  

The proposal cuts $14 million set aside for AP classes, which are college-level courses students can take in high school for credit.  

Previously, the state has covered the cost, but if the Republican-led proposal passes, parents would have to pay around $99 per exam—but Brunswick County Schools says they have other plans.  

Superintendent Dale Cole says the board decided to cover the cost this school year.  

“A kid that’s taking four AP classes this year, I mean that’s $400 that would possibly be a charge that they didn’t see coming when they signed up for classes,” Cole said “And they had other options in March. They could have done an honors class, they could have signed up for a class at the community college as well, which would not have been an expense.” 

Cole says enrollment in AP courses continues to grow. Last year, the district administered 828 AP exams to 576 students.  

“Last year, our students took a little over $82,000 worth of AP exams. It’ll probably be more this year,” Cole noted. 

Cole says on Tuesday, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction sent an email to all superintendents in the state asking them to refrain from talking about possible changes to AP funding.  

Cole feels transparency is the best practice.  

“We just don’t agree with that direction, and it doesn’t matter at this point because we’ve already addressed it, so we can’t take it back,” he said. 

Although Brunswick County Schools has acted, no other district in the Cape Fear has announced plans to do so. 

WWAY reached out to every district in our area to ask about their plans. 

A spokesperson for Columbus County Schools says the superintendent will make a decision after the state board of education meets next month. 

Whiteville City Schools says the district does not offer any AP classes, so it is not affected by the proposal.

A spokesperson for Pender County Schools told WWAY he is “not aware of any discussion, but I can’t say if one has or has not happened,” adding, “As the budget proposal has not passed, I wouldn’t want to speak about hypothetical situations.”

With gridlock in Raleigh, it’s unclear if or when the budget proposal could pass.