BY NICHOLAS BRANDT
Students who receive free and reduced lunch will now have their AP exams paid for by the district. The announcement was first made at a school leadership team meeting on Tuesday.
“I didn’t really know about AP in general last year, so I didn’t react much because I didn’t know how much it normally costs. It wasn’t until later that I learned that it’s a $90 test,” AP French student Yu Ling Zeng said, “I realized that this is a really good opportunity to those that decide to challenge themselves with an AP class and take the test.”
Many different rumors have spread regarding that the change involved every student, but only students registered under the free or reduced lunch program receive the benefits of this change. In the future, there is a possibility that costs can be deducted for students that have regular lunch as well.
“This applies to all AP classes on campus and every student that qualifies. The offer is campus wide,” AP Coordinator Yadhira Frometa said. WCHS has 65 percent of its students on free and reduced lunch according to the California Department of Education data from last school year.
The new system was implemented to offer every student an equal chance to take an AP test for their college credits, and cost is a major factor when considering taking the exam. The actual price of the test was a problem for some students, but with the free or reduced lunch deducting the cost, more rigorous courses are more accessible to affected students.
“We’re trying to make this a standard rather than changing the requirements every year. The idea is to register for free or reduced lunch at the beginning of the school year, but you can do it anytime,” Principal Stephen Glass said. “The program doesn’t just provide lowered costs for food, but it applies for a number of other programs. Students who are qualified receive financial help with things from AP testing, applying for colleges, and the SAT and ACT.”
Free or reduced lunch is a program that provides students with more accessible options for lunch on campus depending on their family income. Every student is allowed to apply for the program, but the state determines whether or not a student qualifies for the program.
Students can apply for free and reduced lunch via the counselor’s office or online throughout the school year, and it is free to apply.