Since 2017, the College Board has been tweaking its Advanced Placement African American Studies course in preparation for its official launch in the 2024-25 school year. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted the “woke” curriculum in January 2023 and asserted that it was a form of “indoctrination,” leading the state’s Department of Education to reject the course. In response, the nonprofit organization announced plans to revise the subjects taught in the class.
The move angered many who were disappointed to see an independent educational institution bow to pressure from a politician. Now, it appears that some of the scuttled material might be making its way back into the AP African American Studies syllabus. The College Board announced yesterday (April 24) that it was making more changes and following the guidance of experts who have been helping to build the curriculum.
“We are committed to providing an unflinching encounter with the facts and evidence of African American history and culture. To achieve that commitment, we must listen to the diversity of voices within the field,” the statement read.
The board, which also administers exams like the SAT, went on to explain just how educational professionals will be involved in the revamp. “The development committee and experts within AP remain engaged in building a course and exam that best reflect this dynamic discipline,” it said. “Those scholars and experts have decided they will make changes to the latest course framework during this pilot phase. They will determine the details of those changes over the next few months.”
The statement also acknowledged that the board’s past decisions in changing the material taught weren’t the best idea. As a result, the final product implemented in high schools across the country next year will be the best version of what it can be.
“In embarking on this effort, access was our driving principle — both access to a discipline that has not been widely available to high school students and access for as many of those students as possible. Regrettably, along the way those dual access goals have come into conflict,” the organization admitted. “The updated framework, shaped by the development committee and subject matter experts from AP, will ensure that those students who do take this course will get the most holistic possible introduction to African American Studies.”