Gov. Ron DeSantis threatens to end AP programs in Florida schools

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that he may withdraw state support for Advanced Placement programs a month after he rejected plans for a new AP African American studies course.

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DeSantis, speaking at a news conference in Jacksonville, suggested that the state could roll back the role of all AP classes in Florida schools.

“AP is kind of with the College Board,” DeSantis said. “Who elected them? Are there other people that provide services? Turns out there are.”

The College Board oversees AP classes in the United States and administers the SAT test that many colleges and universities use in the admission process. AP allows students to qualify for college credit after passing an exam.

More than 1.2 million high school students in the U.S. took an Advanced Placement course in 2019. Florida has one of the highest AP participation rates in the U.S.

DeSantis suggested that other programs could take the place of AP courses in the state. He mentioned the International Baccalaureate and Cambridge Assessment programs as alternatives to AP, The Washington Post reported.

DeSantis said at the news conference he has spoken with Florida state House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, about possibly having the legislature “reevaluate” the course offerings.

The Florida Department of Education rejected an AP African American studies course announced last month. The course, which included Black feminism and queer studies, was trying to push a “political agenda,” DeSantis said.

The College Board admitted on Saturday that it made mistakes in rolling out its new AP African American Studies course, The Hill reported, while also accusing DeSantis of “misinformation” and seeking a “political win.”

“There is always debate about the content of a new AP course. That is good and healthy; these courses matter. But the dialogue surrounding AP African American Studies has moved from healthy debate to misinformation,” College Board said in a statement.

“We are proud of this course. But we have made mistakes in the rollout that are being exploited,” the statement continued.

The College Board revamped the course and resubmitted it on Feb. 1, saying it should have clarified that current events — including the Black Lives Matter movement, reparations and mass incarceration — were optional.