What's happening
This bill requires SUNY and CUNY to create consistent policies granting college credit for high school students who pass standardized exams like AP, CLEP, or IB.
Why it matters
Ensures fairness and transparency. By requiring SUNY and CUNY to base their credit policies on evidence from studies and academic performance data, the bill seeks to make sure that students who perform well on standardized exams are treated consistently and fairly across all public colleges in New York.
Data-driven decision-making. The mandated studies must examine not only exam scores but also how students who receive credit perform in college compared to those who take the equivalent college courses, potentially leading to better academic outcomes and more effective transfer policies.
Promotes student success and reduces costs. Consistent credit policies can help students earn degrees faster and with less debt by avoiding redundant coursework, which especially benefits high-achieving and low-income students.
Increases institutional accountability. By requiring individual campuses to submit data and participate in the policy development process, the bill increases oversight and encourages campuses to align with system-wide standards rather than maintaining disparate and potentially inequitable practices.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Award College Credit for Exams
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Grant College Credit for Exams
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Victor M. Pichardo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5875
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. ROBACH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a common articulation policy at the state of New York and city of New York university systems for granting college credit bearing coursework based upon successful performance on standardized exams completed by high school students
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 355 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-b to read as follows:
2-b. The state university trustees shall establish a consistent and evidence-based policy for accepting and granting comparable college credit for demonstrating college level performance by earning passing scores on standardized exams in high school. The policy shall be adopted and implemented for students enrolling in any state university campus, effective for the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen academic year and thereafter.
a. The policy shall be developed based on the findings of a study and shall include: (i) in consultation with the system's institutions, student advisory groups and other interested parties, a review by the state university trustees of findings and academic performance data for students successfully passing one or more Advanced Placement Exams prior to enrolling in a state university or college; and (ii) measures of academic performance, retention rates, and graduation rates of students who complete a lower-division course at the state university's institutions of higher education compared to students who receive credit for a comparable college course, disaggregated by score, based upon Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) International Baccalaureate (IB) Examinations.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10235-03-7
S. 5875 2
b. Each institution in the state university system shall submit to the state university trustees the data requested for the purpose of completing this study in a timely manner.
c. Not later than January first, two thousand eighteen, the state university trustees shall establish a consistent policy, based on the findings of the study required by this subdivision, for granting college credit established by evidence of passing scores on standardized college level exams completed in high school.
§ 2. Section 6206 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
20. The board of trustees shall establish a consistent and evidence based policy for accepting and granting college credit for successful performance on college level standardized exams taken by students while in high school. The policy shall be adopted and implemented for students enrolling in any city university campus effective for the two thousand eighteen--two thousand nineteen academic year and thereafter.
a. The policy shall be developed based on the findings of a study and shall include: (i) in consultation with the system's institutions, student advisory groups and other interested parties, a review by the board of trustees of findings and academic performance data for students successfully passing one or more Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams prior to enrolling in a state university college; and (ii) measures of academic performance, retention rates, and graduation rates of students who complete a lower-division course at the city university's institutions of higher education compared to students who receive credit for a comparable college course, disaggregated by score, based upon Advanced Placement Examinations.
b. Each institution in the city university system shall submit to the board of trustees the data requested for the purpose of completing this study in a timely manner.
c. Not later than January first, two thousand eighteen, the board of trustees shall establish a consistent policy, based on the findings of the study required by this subdivision, for granting college credit established by evidence of passing scores on standardized college level exams completed in high school.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a common articulation policy at the state of New York and city of New York university systems for granting college credit bearing coursework based upon successful performance on standardized exams completed by high school students
Purpose
To require the boards of trustees of the State University of New York and City University of New York to develop a common, clear and fair credit articulation policy. A uniform, consistent, and evidenced-based credit-by-exam policy for SUNY and CUNY allows high achieving students earning passing scores on nationally standardized exams equitable access to introductory college course credit, affordable tuition options, a reduction in the accumulation of excess credit hours, support for seamless transfer and improved college completion rates. Research findings consistently report the benefits of evidenced based credit-by-exam policies and the impact on students' college success. Using the best data available the SUNY and CUNY Boards should compare the performance of students who successfully complete college crediting earning coursework in high school to those students who do not, and based on that study, to adopt a common articulation policy that establishes that any and all students who achieve a certain evidence based score on an Advanced Placement exams will receive college credit for their achievement at all State University or City University campuses.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 355 of the education law by adding a new subdivision 2-b to require the SUNY Board of Trustees to establish a new common and clear credit articulation policy for granting college credit for enrolling students in the 2017-18 academic year and thereafter who demonstrate college level performance by earning passing scores on standardized exams, such as Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) prior to enrollment. The policy must be established based on the best research available and findings of a study that compares the performance of students who take and complete these college-level programs and achieve passing scores, with students who do not take such coursework prior to enrolling in SUNY.
Read the full memo (795 words)
Section 2 amends the section 6206 of the education law by adding a new subdivision 20 to require that the CUNY board of trustees establish a new common and clear credit articulation policy for granting college credit for enrolling students in the 2017-18 academic year and thereafter who demonstrate college level performance by earning passing scores on standardized exams, such as Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) prior to enrollment. The policy must be established based on the best research available and findings of a study that compares the performance of students who take and complete these college-level programs and achieve passing scores, with students who do not take such coursework prior to enrolling in CUNY.
Section 3 Establishes the effective date as immediately.
Justification
Students who take and successfully complete AP exams in high school are more likely to enroll, persist and graduate from college than their counterparts who do not take this rigorous coursework in high school. Public institutions creating a common, clear and -fair credit articulation, policy is a critical tool to both challenging students to step into the rigor of AP course work and ensuring they receive cost saving credit for successful completion of those college level exams.
Currently the AP Exam scores required to grant college credit in the CUNY system are significantly more restrictive than the SUNY institutions require. In 2015, graduating seniors sent 7138 AP Exam score transcripts to CUNY. Of those, 2776 of those AP exams represented scores of 3. These students did not receive college credit from CUNY. Despite their academic achievement, they were required to pay to "retake" an introductory college course.
Requiring SUNY and CUNY to create and enforce a common, clear and fair credit articulation policy and granting credit for successful completion of exams can help students graduate on time and save families money. There simply is no justification for our two world class State university systems to deny students the college credit they have earned and the time has come to end these unfair policies.
Potential Cost Savings for New York Students and Families In May 2015, New York students took a total of 170,658 AP Exams that resulted in scores of 3, 4, or 5. At an average rate of $254.80 per credit hour for tuition at New York four-year public institutions, the total potential college cost savings estimate for New York students and families is $130,450,975.
Legislative history
2/27/17 referred to higher education
Fiscal implications
None in FY 2017-2018. Savings to the State and its university systems thereafter.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.