USA Today–More students fail AP courses

Sad. Another program that may be compromised, it looks like. (More students fail AP courses). Are we compromising standards to ‘democratize’ the test? My father used to say, If something is too good to be true, it’s probably not. What may be going on here?

We need to go back to basics: First the WHAT, then the WHO. WHAT is AP level? WHAT is the curriculum? WHAT is the purpose of AP? Then, WHO has the necessary skills to participate? WHO will benefit from AP? WHO can participate meaningfully without compromising those standards? It looks like in some states, our current approach may be backward. First, it seeks to include more students (the WHO) and then it needs to tinker with the standards (the WHAT). That approach doesn’t work well for anyone. As Linda Darling-Hammond is quoted, “The standards don’t teach themselves.” Adding a high-level test does not cure education knowledge and skills deficits.

I’m with everyone who seeks to include more students in AP, so long as we put the WHAT before the WHO. So long as we don’t lower AP standards. So long as we remember what our purpose for AP courses was, in the first place!

This article reminds me of inclusion. Yes, while in some situations it can be excellent for all students, far too often, it does lower standards and expectations in many classes. Let’s be honest here.

If we are serious about raising standards for all students, it’s first the WHAT; then the WHO.