TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — A new bill making its way through the Florida House of Representatives would likely reduce Florida’s education payments to the College Board – the non-profit behind the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
MAKING ROOM FOR ALTERNATIVES
House Bill 1537 permits Florida schools to utilize alternatives to the College Board’s signature services. The bill cleared the Education Quality Subcommittee and is currently in the Appropriations Committee.
In the proposal, some statutory references to “advanced placement” or “AP courses” have either been changed to “advanced courses” or removed altogether.
Additionally, the Classic Learning Test (CLT) has been added as an acceptable high school assessment test. Marketing for the test plays up the College Board’s drift towards “woke” ideology.
“Unlike other tests that change according to educational or cultural trends, CLT exams emphasize foundational critical thinking skills and are accessible to students from a variety of educational backgrounds,” the company’s website states. “By engaging students with this meaningful content, CLT assessments offer a more edifying testing experience and reflect a holistic education.”
READ MORE: Can the College Board Survive the AP Course Fallout Amid Cries of “Racist” SAT Tests?
PAYBACK?
Florida’s highly publicized rejection of the AP African American Studies course triggered an ill-fated response from the College Board, which accused state officials of trying to score a political victory. The organization called the state’s feedback on the course “slander.”
Days later, the governor blasted the organization and said he had already talked to House Speaker Paul Renner about the state “reevaluating” its relationship with the College Board. DeSantis also suggested other vendors may offer a better product.
“Does it have to be done by the College Board or can we utilize some of these other providers who I think have a really, really strong track record,” the governor said in February. “They’re not the only one that can provide that particular service.”
