AP exams free next year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of monopolist College Board collecting $3 million of our tax dollars with no accountability.

It's a great gig. Hard for people to advocate against the county offering free AP exams. So, the College Board collects even more taxpayer money!

A little out of date, but sheds some light: https://www.therealcollegeboard.org/finance

Could you come up with a more fake website "Between 2011 and 2019, the College Board has invested over 1.32 billion dollars in the Caribbean. Mostly likely, these investments were put into hedge funds in the Cayman Islands in order to take advantage of tax loopholes."

They are speculating that a non-profit is investing in the Caymen Islands to avoid taxes that it doesn't pay?

They're a non-profit. They don't pay taxes.

[Anonymous]

Keep those poor kids out of my kid's class!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of monopolist College Board collecting $3 million of our tax dollars with no accountability.

It's a great gig. Hard for people to advocate against the county offering free AP exams. So, the College Board collects even more taxpayer money!

A little out of date, but sheds some light: https://www.therealcollegeboard.org/finance

Could you come up with a more fake website "Between 2011 and 2019, the College Board has invested over 1.32 billion dollars in the Caribbean. Mostly likely, these investments were put into hedge funds in the Cayman Islands in order to take advantage of tax loopholes."

They are speculating that a non-profit is investing in the Caymen Islands to avoid taxes that it doesn't pay?

They're a non-profit. They don't pay taxes.

CB has huge sway over the futures of college bound kids. Because if test optional, they are focusing more on AP exams and convincing pols to pay them for more student tests, rather than have parents make the decision. Issues like pass rates for these new test takers, test administration and scoring transparency should be out in the open. CB execs get millions in salary, and nobody asks whether they are doing a good job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of monopolist College Board collecting $3 million of our tax dollars with no accountability.

what kind of accountability are you looking for from the CB?

I am looking for score reporting akin to what they do for SAT. That would be number of multiple choice questions correct/incorrect; general point reporting for essays and short answer questions. Currently it's a black box - take the test, get a number 1-5.

I agree with you there, but that's not really "accountability". College Board also owns SAT, btw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of monopolist College Board collecting $3 million of our tax dollars with no accountability.

what kind of accountability are you looking for from the CB?

I am looking for score reporting akin to what they do for SAT. That would be number of multiple choice questions correct/incorrect; general point reporting for essays and short answer questions. Currently it's a black box - take the test, get a number 1-5.

I agree with you there, but that's not really "accountability". College Board also owns SAT, btw.

I guess it is at least scoring transparency? There are definitely other measures of accountability for use of taxpayer funds for AP tests including how they help under resourced schools teach the material and administer the tests as well as whether the juice is worth the squeeze in terms of actually making a difference to the new kids who otherwise would have not have taken the test (pass rates, college credits received, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a fan of monopolist College Board collecting $3 million of our tax dollars with no accountability.

It's a great gig. Hard for people to advocate against the county offering free AP exams. So, the College Board collects even more taxpayer money!

A little out of date, but sheds some light: https://www.therealcollegeboard.org/finance

Could you come up with a more fake website "Between 2011 and 2019, the College Board has invested over 1.32 billion dollars in the Caribbean. Mostly likely, these investments were put into hedge funds in the Cayman Islands in order to take advantage of tax loopholes."

They are speculating that a non-profit is investing in the Caymen Islands to avoid taxes that it doesn't pay?

They're a non-profit. They don't pay taxes.

The nonprofit can invest the money in hidden activities that benefit corrupt insiders.

[Anonymous]

All I can say is that our AP coordinator is overwhelmed with the number of tests to manage under the current system. If free tests generate a lot more takers, it will not be pretty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

Why are you refusing to do your job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

You can inflate grades without slowing down the class.

If the teacher can "not let" unprepared kids fail the test, then why would prepared kids fail the test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

You can inflate grades without slowing down the class.

If the teacher can "not let" unprepared kids fail the test, then why would prepared kids fail the test?

+1 I don’t understand when teachers or parents claim that allowing anyone to take advanced classes results in the class being slowed down. My child has taken 3 AP classes with kids that he claims clearly didn’t belong in the class. The teacher got through all of the material and additional content after the exams. The teachers were accessible for extra help during specific days during the last half of lunch. Apparently most kids don’t take advantage of these opportunities. The kids that didn’t belong got C’s and D’s (I assume this is grade inflation. According to my son most didn’t bother to take the exams or earned 1s and 2s.

So why are some teachers slowing down the class? How are they penalized or forced to slow down? Do teachers have to demonstrate that a certain percentage of students pass the class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

We’re not unrealistic about what happens in some classes. What we’re saying is there is no reason to slow down a class unless the greater majority of the class is not prepared. This doesn’t mean “letting” the unprepared kids fail. Set expectations clearly set up front, document them, provide the necessary supports and resources for students.

Just like students are coached to choose challenging courses, they can be coached to put in the necessary effort to pass.

Additionally, what needs to be looked at is if kids have been provided the supports early on to ensure they are prepared for challenging courses. That could be summer programs, tutoring, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

We’re not unrealistic about what happens in some classes. What we’re saying is there is no reason to slow down a class unless the greater majority of the class is not prepared. This doesn’t mean “letting” the unprepared kids fail. Set expectations clearly set up front, document them, provide the necessary supports and resources for students.

Just like students are coached to choose challenging courses, they can be coached to put in the necessary effort to pass.

Additionally, what needs to be looked at is if kids have been provided the supports early on to ensure they are prepared for challenging courses. That could be summer programs, tutoring, etc.

When those students are minorities, you'd better believe the teacher is instructed to slow down the class if that's what is required for students to pass. Lots of reteaching, retakes, offering personal time (before/after, lunch breaks) is expected. I only wish the student's grade in the class was heavily based on their test score. But since students aren't required to take the test, that won't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

We’re not unrealistic about what happens in some classes. What we’re saying is there is no reason to slow down a class unless the greater majority of the class is not prepared. This doesn’t mean “letting” the unprepared kids fail. Set expectations clearly set up front, document them, provide the necessary supports and resources for students.

Just like students are coached to choose challenging courses, they can be coached to put in the necessary effort to pass.

Additionally, what needs to be looked at is if kids have been provided the supports early on to ensure they are prepared for challenging courses. That could be summer programs, tutoring, etc.

When those students are minorities, you'd better believe the teacher is instructed to slow down the class if that's what is required for students to pass. Lots of reteaching, retakes, offering personal time (before/after, lunch breaks) is expected. I only wish the student's grade in the class was heavily based on their test score. But since students aren't required to take the test, that won't happen.

Is it true that students are not required to take AP tests? I don't understand how it's okay to get the GPA boost from taking an AP, but not be required to take the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even putting $1000 on a credit card at 20%/yr s a better deal than any year of college. Financial aid for lower middle class isn't that generous.

The real risk is the wasted money from all the kids who will fail the AP tests. MoCo already has a 25% failure rate, sure to increase when tests are free.

This is what happens when you let anyone sign up for AP classes. Students should have a proven track record of academic success in previous honors courses prior to being allowed in AP classes.

Don't even need that. Just need to give legit quarterly exams to show progress and qualify for AP exam. Nothing wrong with exposing whoever wants to the material, so long as they aren't disruptive.

When the teacher has to slow down the class because there are students in it who don't belong, it affects everyone.

No one "has to" slow down. That's a bad teacher who needs to do their job properly.

This is my neighbor’s biggest issue with teaching AP classes. She has students in some of her classes who cannot do the work because they read below grade level and have frequent absences. Because of the public school district’s obsession with equity, those students are allowed to sign up for her classes. She’s required to accommodate them which slows down the students who are prepared for the class.

It shouldn’t. Accommodation can take many forms. PowerPoint outline notes (they provide this in college and med school). Dedicated time to stop by during lunch or after school for assistance. Referral to tutoring or support class. Referral for reading evaluation services. Email reminder to entire class the week of exams and ensuring dates are correct and up to date in Canvas. Request if a conference w/ student and counselor. Study guides. None of these require slowing down the class.

AP classes are not on-level courses. Kids should not be gate kept from them and should be encouraged to take challenges. They should also be provided the expectations of taking such as class (ie you will need to devote 30-45 mins per night to this class).

You are completely unrealistic about what happens in classrooms. The teacher is not going to let the unprepared kids fail; the class will inevitably have to move slower. - AP teacher

We’re not unrealistic about what happens in some classes. What we’re saying is there is no reason to slow down a class unless the greater majority of the class is not prepared. This doesn’t mean “letting” the unprepared kids fail. Set expectations clearly set up front, document them, provide the necessary supports and resources for students.

Just like students are coached to choose challenging courses, they can be coached to put in the necessary effort to pass.

Additionally, what needs to be looked at is if kids have been provided the supports early on to ensure they are prepared for challenging courses. That could be summer programs, tutoring, etc.

When those students are minorities, you'd better believe the teacher is instructed to slow down the class if that's what is required for students to pass. Lots of reteaching, retakes, offering personal time (before/after, lunch breaks) is expected. I only wish the student's grade in the class was heavily based on their test score. But since students aren't required to take the test, that won't happen.

Is it true that students are not required to take AP tests? I don't understand how it's okay to get the GPA boost from taking an AP, but not be required to take the test.

This has been the case for eons. I've been out of HS for 35 years. I took two AP classes (HS only offered 3, and the AP calc class was at 7am which I wasn't going to do), but I only took one AP exam because that's all I could afford.