SBE: Sole Source - The College Board (FY27)

The College Board will provide Advanced Placement (AP) Tests at a reduced cost for qualifying low income students who take an Advanced Placement (AP) exam in Spring of 2027.

Providing AP test fee reimbursement for low income students creates additional opportunities for students to take exams by eliminating the cost barrier since the fee per exam is $99.

The College Board will provide Advanced Placement Exams taken by qualifying low income students at a reduced rate. The districts will order the AP exams in November of 2026, and students will take the exams in May of 2027. The College Board will invoice Illinois school districts according to their fee reduction and expected state reimbursements.

For public school students who qualify for the College Board fee reduction, ISBE will pay College Board:

- a minimum of $33 per AP Exam

The final fee invoiced to a public school for a fee-reduced student for any AP Exam is at maximum $20 per exam.

The College Board will invoice the Illinois State Board of Education for state reimbursements of test fees for low income students. The Illinois State Board of Education will pay for exams of low income students that are used, the Illinois State Board of Education is not financially responsible for un-used exams of low income students.

**Sole source** notice. Value: Not to Exceed **2,500,000**.

Estimated Contract Begin Date: 11/1/2026. Estimated Contract End Date: 06/30/2027. Number of Potential Renewals: 0.

This purchase is economically only available from a single source primarily because it is: Items are Copyrighted or Patented and the Items are Only Available from the Holder.

The Illinois State Legislature is anticipating being appropriated $2,500,000 to the Illinois State Board of Education for this specific purpose of providing funds for low income students taking the AP exams. The College Board is the only vendor of Advanced Placement exams.

The hearing will be canceled unless an interested party submits written comments or makes a written request.