How the AP Program Might Unintentionally Stunt the Next Generation Of Thinkers

For more than 60 years, educators graded Advanced Placement English exam essays according to holistic guidelines, with open-ended rubrics that enabled them to use their knowledge and discretion to measure the success of students’ choices as writers. Starting next spring, however, the College Board will move from a nine-point holistic rubric to a new six-point analytic rubric that functions as a checklist. Gone from the course bulletins are long-standing warnings against teaching to the tests, and indeed these rubrics will encourage and reward simplistic, formulaic thinking.

Now, students may be able to receive college credit and place out of introductory writing courses without understanding that writing has anything to do with intentionality, thoughtfulness or clear thinking. More than ever, the essays will not measure a meaningful grasp of the writing process but a basic ability to conform and regurgitate. Importantly, the new rubrics also restrict graders from making qualitative judgments that require knowledge and trust.

While the AP brand signals reliability and continuity, this change is just the latest sign that the program has dramatically departed from its roots over the past decade, weakening the quality of education and threatening to turn the AP into a shell of its former self.

Read full articlehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2019/12/16/how-ap-program-might-unintentionally-stunt-next-generation-thinkers/#comments-wrapper

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