State Offers $190,000 in Grants for AP Teacher Institutes

The South Carolina Office of Assessment and Standards opened applications January 4 for the 2026 Advanced Placement Teacher Institutes, offering roughly $190,000 in grants to fund professional development that leads to state AP endorsements. The endorsement is required under S.C. Code Ann. Reg. 43-258.1 (2017) for teachers to be authorized to teach Advanced Placement courses; teachers who successfully complete an approved institute will receive the special AP endorsement for that content area.

Approximately 10 grants are anticipated, with award amounts determined by application quality and total funding requested. The project term runs March 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026. The application deadline is January 23, 2026, making the window for submission short for districts and higher education partners preparing proposals.

Eligible applicants include any South Carolina public or private institution of higher education and any school district or consortium of districts that partner with a college or university. School districts must submit a fully executed letter of agreement or memorandum of understanding with an institution of higher education as part of their application. Applicants also must obtain College Board endorsement for proposed institutes before submitting an application.

For Allendale County, the program presents a clear route to increase local AP offerings by building teacher capacity. If Allendale County School District can secure a partner at a nearby college or university and complete the required MOU, teachers could attend an endorsed institute and return qualified to teach AP courses in subjects such as history, math, science, or English. That expansion would potentially improve college readiness and help more students earn college credit while still in high school.

The office offered a technical assistance session on December 17, 2025; recordings are available by emailing oasgrants@ed.sc.gov. Application materials listed by the office include a Request for Proposals document, an online application via Formstack, and a Budget Narrative template. Program contacts are Jennifer Holliday at 803-734-0163 or jnholliday@ed.sc.gov and Stephen Stokes at 803-734-3461 or sstokes@ed.sc.gov.

With a compressed application timetable and a limited pool of roughly 10 awards, districts and colleges that move quickly have the best chance to secure funding. Expanding AP-authorized teachers in Allendale County would be a near-term step toward broader access to advanced coursework and the longer-term goal of improving postsecondary outcomes for local students.