Expansion (1945 - 1965)
College Board Involvement
In 1954, it was suggested that the College Board take over the Kenyon Plan program. Those in favor stated that such a move would allow the College Board the opportunity to contribute to the education of talented youth and to exert control over at least part of the secondary curriculum. They also believed that the College Board could then have a positive influence on the secondary curriculum generally.
The College Board assumed responsibility for the program in 1955 and renamed the program the Advanced Placement Program. The Board moved quickly to expand the number of institutions participating in the APP. In 1958, the College Board began to train APP consultants.
| Participation in APP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Schools | Students | Exams | Colleges |
| 1955-56 | 104 | 1,229 | 2,199 | 130 |
| 1960-61 | 1,126 | 13,283 | 17,603 | 617 |
| 1965-66 | 2,518 | 38,178 | 50,104 | 1,382 |
| 1960-71 | 3,342 | 57,850 | 74,409 | 1,382 |
However, not everything about student and school participation in the APP was ideal, and growth in participation was not equal across regions and socio-economic groups. APP leaders knew greater participation in the APP came from those in higher socio-economic communities. Participation was near 75% in suburban communities but only 13% in rural areas.
The Ford Foundation for the Advancement of Education funded the APP from its inception at the College Board. It donated $75,000 in 1955. However, by 1958, the APP ran a yearly $150,000 deficit that was only eliminated by raising the cost of the examination.
College Board officials came to believe that the Advanced Placement Program raised the standards of achievement in secondary schools and indirectly raised the minimum requirements for admission to the Ivy League colleges.
Charles Keller was the first director of the APP. Jack Arbolino directed the APP from 1958 until 1965.
