AP Test format not yet determined for spring 2021

AP Teachers adapt to uncertainty as College Board fails to provide clear expectations regarding the tests’ format

The lack of direction from the College Board regarding the format of AP tests this spring affects certain subjects more than others, however all curriculums continue to adjust as the online version of AP classes takes shape.

AP English Literature teacher Deborah Vanni called the College Board twice to verify the format of test administration, but was disappointed to be presented with misleading information. 

At first, Vanni was told that AP exams would be administered remotely. When she called a second time, Vanni was told that decision had not been made yet.                                                                         

This uncertainty caused Vanni to doubt whether she is adequately preparing her students for the AP exam. She believes that students will be disadvantaged if they are trained in one method and then forced to adapt to another. 

“I say to you, ‘okay, you can use the book,’ because I'm trying to keep everything on an equal playing field. And then in May they say you're not allowed to use anything and you're like, ‘but I've been using the book the whole year.’ That's that's the part that's unfair.’”

However, the differences between in person and online testing conditions may not be so drastic for all of the subjects. 

AP Calculus AB teacher Angie Esswein said in a Zoom interview that online assessments allow students to use more resources in her class as well.

“The students can use their textbook, notes and assignments.  This wouldn’t be allowed if they were in class,” Esswein said. 

Similarly to Esswein, some teachers, such as AP Spanish teacher Paco Arevalo, do not find the uncertainty of the testing format concerning. 

“We are doing everything online and that is preparing them for whatever is coming, if [the test] is going to be online, as it may be,” Arevalo said. 

Arevalo said that the AP curriculum presented by the College Board  requires the same skills for both in-person tests and virtual tests.

Along with other teachers,  Arevalo has decided to take a positive approach to the transition, hoping that the learning process will eventually yield beneficent results. 

“Eventually when we go back to class, it’d be great if we could incorporate some of the things we learned, such asc not making so many photocopies,” Arevalo said.