Northshore School District students from low-income families may take college-level exams at a fraction of the cost, thanks to support from the Northshore Schools Foundation.

“As we continue to hold high expectations for all our students, we are so grateful for the high level of support from the foundation,” Superintendent Michelle Reid said.

Northshore Schools Foundation Director Carmin Dalziel announced the funding at the Feb. 28 School Board meeting. The foundation will help cover most of the cost of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams for families who qualify for free or reduced-price meals.

The regular deadline for students to register for AP exams is March 14. When Northshore families register online, their free or reduced-price meals status will be confirmed for the credit to be applied.

This is the first year that the exams have not been subsidized through a federal grant for families who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. That federal subsidy ended in late 2016.

In Northshore, AP tests can cost $106 each, and enrollment in the IB program can cost $914.

Foundation funding will bring those costs back down to the previously subsidized levels, with AP tests accessible for $15 each and IB accessible for $92.

Families should contact their student’s guidance counselor for more information.