Florida schools are removing AP psychology course due to confusion.
Confusion over Florida Law Leads to Ban on AP Psychology Course
Recent confusion surrounding a Florida law has resulted in several schools in the Sunshine State banning the Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course. Despite the state’s education commissioner clarifying that the course can be taught, the College Board, which provides schools with AP courses, announced that Florida’s ban on classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation and gender identity effectively prohibited the AP Psychology course in the state.
This announcement sparked yet another public feud between state officials, including Governor Ron DeSantis, and the college prep organization. The College Board stated, “To be clear, any AP Psychology course taught in Florida will violate either Florida law or college requirements. Therefore, we advise Florida districts not to offer AP Psychology until Florida reverses their decision and allows parents and students to choose to take the full course.”
Education Commissioner Clarifies the Situation
However, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz rejected the College Board’s claims and affirmed that the course can be taught in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate. Despite this clarification, the confusion surrounding the course’s permissibility under Florida law has led several school districts in the state to seek alternative options for a college credit course in psychology.
According to Axios, school districts such as Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, and Manatee counties have decided to switch to the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education course in psychology due to the confusion. On the other hand, school districts in Sarasota, Palm Beach County, and Miami-Dade have chosen to continue offering the AP version of the course.
The Washington Post reported that the school districts adopting alternative courses include seven out of the 11 districts with the highest enrollment in the AP Psychology course in previous years. In the spring 2023 semester alone, approximately 28,000 Florida students took the course.
Continued Controversy with the College Board
This controversy surrounding the AP Psychology course is not the first time the College Board has clashed with leaders in Florida. The organization and state education officials have been engaged in an ongoing dispute over a piloted AP African American Studies course, which Florida officials claimed violated state law and subsequently banned from high schools in the state.
Later, the College Board released updated standards for the course, leading to accusations of the organization caving to the state’s demands. The College Board has since announced that they will be revisiting the course standards.
Click here to read more from The Washington Examiner.
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