The commitment from Italy came to fruition with the support of the Italian Ambassador to the United States, Giulio Terzi, who recognized the importance of Italian language education to Italy and to all high school students, in the United States and around the world, who seek to earn Advanced Placement credit for college-level study of the Italian language. The program allows high school students to receive college tuition credits upon successfully passing the AP exam in Italian Language and Culture.
AP Italian was launched in 2005 after several years of development with the College Board through an initiative led by Matilda Raffa Cuomo, former First Lady of the State of New York. The effort was supported by the Italian government and Italian American associations, including the National Italian American Foundation, Order of the Sons of Italy and UNICO National.
A lack of funding led to the suspension of AP Italian in 2009.
Italian Funding Secured
The Italian Language Foundation has received a letter from the Republic of Italy pledging funding to help reinstate the Advanced Placement Program in Italian Language and Culture, commonly known as AP Italian, which was temporarily suspended for lack of funding in 2009.
The letter of commitment from Gianni Letta, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister of Italy, to Louis Tallarini, Chairman of the Italian Language Foundation, pledges an annual, multi-year contribution of $500,000 to reinstate AP Italian. The commitment requires organizations and individuals in the United States to make an equal annual contribution. The funds will go to The College Board, the non-profit organization that develops and administers programs that test college readiness, including the SAT and numerous Advanced Placement (AP) exams, for the development of the AP Italian Program.
“The commitment from Secretary Letta is contingent upon securing matching funds from Italian American associations and other donors as a first step in working with The College Board to reinstate AP Italian,” said Margaret I. Cuomo, M.D., President of the Italian Language Foundation. “We are extremely pleased that Italy is partnering with us and other groups to make AP Italian a critical and rewarding part of the educational system.”
“The Italian government has now stepped up and taken ownership of this effort,” said Louis Tallarini, Chairman of the Italian Language Foundation. “Italian representatives and the donors who participate in matching the Italian government’s funding will have the communal say in making any material decisions regarding the reinstatement effort.”