FAQ
FAQ
How does a course get authorized as "AP"?
A syllabus must contain evidence that the AP course address the key curricular and resource requirements identified by the AP program in order to be authorized. This approach allows reviewers to utilize expert judgment, which derives from their deep knowledge of the subject area being reviewed, but avoids pitfalls inherent in holistic judgment approaches to document review, in which a reviewer reaches a decision on the document as a whole. The criterion-based process utilizes rules that constrain reviewer judgment by filtering all decisions through the screen of a series of criteria that are derived directly from published AP Curricular Requirements.
The final result of the criterion-based review process is an overall determination that the syllabus meets standard or does not meet standard. Achieving these goals requires interpretation by trained reviewers, meaning that judgment is an integral part of the review process.
How are judgment criteria developed and by whom?
To inform reviewer judgment, decision rules accompany each subject and most curricular requirements. Decision rules are developed by senior reviewers, college professors who have been selected based on demonstrated experience and expertise with a specific AP subject, and College Board Advisors, who serve as the liaisons between the public and the College Board committees that develop the AP curricular requirements and exams. Their summarized reasoning and rationale for how each curricular requirement should be scored in the review process are reflected in the decision rules. Criteria and decisions rules are available to AP teachers as resources for syllabus development.
Who reviews the syllabi and how are they trained?
Reviewers are people who have experience teaching the college equivalent of the AP course in question and many have prior experience as AP exam readers as well. They are recruited because they possess the content knowledge in the subject area sufficient to determine whether the syllabus conforms to the curricular requirements and to make judgments and inferences necessary for this determination.
Each reviewer must pass a rigorous training process before being allowed to review documents. The reviewer first reads and scores a series of practice syllabi against the course requirements, receiving feedback on each to help improve accuracy of judgments. They are then required to correctly score additional syllabi. Senior reviewers are available throughout the process to assure that all reviewers intimately understand each component of all curricular requirements and their decision rules.
How does the review process work?
The review process in its entirety is designed to ensure that no syllabus that deserves authorization is ultimately denied approval. This goal is accomplished through the provision of three review cycles. In each of these cycles, any syllabus deemed not to meet standard in one or more areas is viewed by a minimum of two separate and independent reviewers. At the conclusion of any review cycle in which the syllabus did not provide sufficient information to demonstrate alignment with one or more curricular requirements, the teacher receives a report detailing the area or areas in which additional information is required and the reason why.
Stage 1
Whenever a reviewer identifies any element of a syllabus as not meeting the curricular requirements, that syllabus is automatically re-reviewed by a senior reviewer. The senior reviewer can affirm or overturn the reviewer's determination that the syllabus did not meet standard in a particular area. The rate of reviewer decisions being overturned by senior reviewers is one measure of reviewer consistency.
Stage 2
After the teacher is informed that more information is required, the teacher makes the necessary changes and resubmits the syllabus, which now goes to a new reviewer for a stage 2 review. This reassignment to a new reviewer helps address the issue of potential severity bias by the original reviewer (and senior reviewer). At this point, if the reviewer again indicates that the syllabus lacks information to demonstrate a curricular requirement, it is again reviewed by a senior reviewer and, if the senior reviewer concurs with the reviewer, the syllabus is reviewed independently by staff in the Advanced Placement offices of the College Board. These staff are all experts in the AP course in the subject area in question as well as in the curricular requirements and their decision rules. Their role is to be the third independent reviewer of the resubmitted syllabus. If the AP staff member agrees with the reviewer and senior reviewer, the AP staff member contacts the teacher directly and offers focused, specific feedback and suggestions on how to change the syllabus so that it addresses the curricular requirements and decision rules.
Stage 3
The teacher now may submit the syllabus for a third review. Once again, the syllabus is assigned to a new reviewer who does not know that the syllabus has been reviewed twice previously. This helps avoid prejudging the syllabus. The reviewer follows the same criterion-based process to rate the syllabus against the curricular requirements. If the syllabus fails to provide sufficient information to demonstrate all necessary curricular requirements yet again, the syllabus goes to another senior reviewer one final time. If the senior reviewer concurs with the reviewer's judgment, the teacher must wait until the following academic year to resubmit a syllabus for authorization. During this period of time, the teacher will be encouraged to attend an AP professional development event to receive help and support in constructing an appropriate syllabus that results in a high quality AP course.
Does the AP Course Audit specify educational background or certification requirements for AP teachers?
No, there are no formal requirements that a teacher must satisfy to teach an AP course. However, the College Board advocates high standards for Advanced Placement teachers in the following areas: content knowledge, teacher certification, pedagogy and student learning, analysis and rejection, and ongoing professional development. Although the College Board recognizes that there is no single path to becoming an effective AP teacher, the educational background and professional development of the teacher can greatly improve the quality of his or her teaching. The College Board encourages high school administrators and AP teachers to review the document AP Teacher Standards available on AP Central at the document library, which discusses these topics in greater detail.
