On Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, City Schools of Decatur (CSD) Superintendent Dr. Maggie Fehrman and Decatur High School (DHS) Principal Rochelle Loftstrand sent out an email announcing a miscommunication in previous messages regarding International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams. 

In an email sent on Sep. 7, 2022, by Loftstrand, the responsibility of paying for IB and AP exam fees would be shifted from the district to CSD families beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. It also stated that during the current 2022-2023 school year “all families have the option to pay for the exams this year at $97 per AP test and $119 per IB exam.”

However, the most recent email sent out by Loftstand on behalf of Fehrman and herself stated that “some [families] did not pay because it was described as “optional” – even though it was not, in fact, “optional.”

While many families did pay the exam fees despite it being labeled as “optional”, the district is requiring all students taking exams in the 2022-2023 school year to pay for the exam. 

Despite the miscommunication, Ferhman presented the solution that families can request financial help from the distinct by contacting Loftstand. The CSD Board allocated $10,000 of its FY23 budget to cover the testing fees of students who need financial aid. 

Another option is for families to pay for their student’s exam fees upfront and then fill out a form to request that CSD pay them back. These are the only solutions for the 2022-2023 school year as a way to make up for the miscommunication.