College Board Pushes Back Against Florida’s Restrictions on AP Psychology Course

Title: College Board Pushes Back Against Florida’s Restrictions on AP Psychology Course

Date: [hour]:[minute] [AM/PM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year]

MIAMI (AP) — The College Board, a nonprofit organization that administers the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, is pushing back against Florida’s limits on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization has advised the state’s school districts to not offer the AP Psychology course to Florida’s high school students unless it can be taught in full.

The announcement has caused shockwaves across the state as students in many school districts prepare to return to school in less than a week. However, the College Board’s decision only affects Florida, as school districts in the rest of the country are not being impacted.

In response to the College Board’s advisory, the Leon County school district’s superintendent in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital, met with high school teachers and principals to determine the best course of action for the approximately 300 students who had already registered for the AP Psychology course this year. Similarly, Orange County Public Schools in Orlando sent a message to parents, assuring them that they were working on alternative options for their children who were registered for the course.

The College Board stated that it was “sad” to have taken this step but claimed that its hands were tied by the DeSantis administration, which it accused of effectively banning AP Psychology in the state by instructing Florida superintendents that teaching foundational content on sexual orientation and gender identity is illegal under state law. However, Florida’s Department of Education rejected this assertion, stating that the course remains listed in Florida’s Course Code Directory for the upcoming school year and urging the College Board to continue offering the course.

Parents and students preparing for the new school year are now left trying to figure out their next steps. Some have already made last-minute switches due to concerns about the rift between Florida and the College Board.

Under an expanded Florida law, lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity are not allowed unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. In the spring, the state asked the College Board and other providers of college-level courses to review their offerings for potential violations. While the College Board refused to modify the psychology course to comply with Florida’s new legislation, it acknowledged previous missteps in handling the African American studies curriculum.

Experts in literacy and free speech have praised the College Board’s stance, emphasizing that concessions are not an effective strategy. They argue that legislation across the country is having a chilling effect on teachers at all grade levels, leaving many educators uncertain about what they can teach in the classroom.

The American Psychological Association has criticized Florida’s new policy, stating that it will result in students receiving an incomplete education. The requirement to effectively censor educational material is seen as a disservice to students, as it prevents them from gaining a comprehensive understanding of psychological research into human development.

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What are the arguments from the College Board and other advocates against Florida’s restrictions on education, particularly in relation to the AP Psychology course

Florida’s high schools. The restrictions, known as HB 827, were signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in June and they prevent teachers from providing any instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation, or critical race theory.

The College Board argues that these restrictions undermine the integrity and educational value of the AP Psychology course. The course covers a wide range of topics, including human development, personality, and abnormal psychology, and it is crucial for students to have a full understanding of these subjects in order to succeed on the AP exam.

The organization has urged school districts to stand up against the limitations imposed by the state and to continue offering the course in its entirety. It has provided guidance and resources to help support teachers and students who may face challenges in teaching and studying the restricted content.

Florida’s restrictions on education have sparked a fierce debate nationwide, with advocates arguing that they stifle critical thinking and limit students’ exposure to important topics. Critics, on the other hand, maintain that these limitations are necessary to prevent the promotion of ideologies that they deem to be controversial or inappropriate for students.

For now, the fate of the AP Psychology course in Florida remains uncertain. The College Board’s stance puts pressure on state officials to either reevaluate the restrictions or face potential repercussions for students’ education.