WEAC Helps AP Distance Learning Program

From the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education

WEAC has donated $5,000 to the Advanced Placement (AP) Distance Learning Consortium to help the program become self-supporting after start-up funds provided by the federal government, UW System, and the UW School of Education end in September 2005.

The consortium was created to expand opportunities for high school students who did not have access to AP courses. Although nearly three-fourths of UW-Madison's freshman enter the university with college credits, including AP credits, many of Wisconsin's public secondary schools - especially those in low-income rural or urban districts - do not have the staff or resources to provide these specialized classes on their own.

By using the school districts' existing ITV teleconferencing facilities, the consortium makes AP courses accessible to these schools. Now in its second year of classes, the program is delivering AP courses to 237 high school students in 32 schools across the state.

The consortium was developed by the Center on Education and Work in the UW-Madison School of Education. For more information, go to:
www.APConsortium.wisc.edu.