In the 2023-2024 school year, students participating in Advanced Placement history and computer science classes will experience rubric changes impacting this year’s AP tests. These changes will affect both AP History and AP computer science principle classes.
Modifications were made to the AP History rubric regarding how students earn points. Points are now more attainable in demonstrating a specific skill, however, the number of points is the same as in previous years. If a document-based question (DBQ) is leveled as more difficult, there will be more flexibility in earning points.
“Before, it was four documents for an analysis,” said Ed Edsall, the AP European History teacher. “Now it’s two to get the same point. But if it is an easier [document] or DBQ and the documents are easier to access they can make the level of analysis higher,”
AP Computer Science Principles students will now change the way they participate in taking the AP test. Previously, there was a portion of the AP tests that was uploaded two weeks in advance to the College Board Digital Portfolio. It included a PDF of the student’s code, a short video of their program running, and their answers to the written response questions. The written response questions will now be taken in person. Including the two-hour, 70 multiple-choice questions portion. The students will now spend another hour responding to four prompts about their code, The PDF of their code will still be uploaded in advance, and they will be given their personalized project reference on the day of the test. The total amount of time for the AP test will now be three hours rather than two.
“Due to an increase in cheating using generative AI (ex: Chat GPT), the College Board decided to change part C, the Written Responses. Now, students will write those written responses about their project on the day of the AP Test on May 15th,” said Ms. Ranieri, the AP computer science principles teacher, via email.
