In US-based postsecondary education, first-year students commonly have their compositional ability consequentially assessed on the basis of standardized tests. As a result, students who score above certain thresholds on ACT, SAT, or AP exams often are placed into honors or remedial courses; receive credit remissions; and/or test out of general…

The formal opportunity to learn geography in the United States is unevenly distributed across space, creating possible geography deserts. Data on the number of exams taken in Advanced Placement Human Geography (APHG) and bachelor's degrees earned in geography are mapped at the state and regional scales. Normalized rates are ranked and grouped into…

In this study, we describe a framework for monitoring rater performance over time. We present several statistical indices to identify raters whose standards drift and explain how to use those indices operationally. To illustrate the use of the framework, we analyzed rating data from the 2002 Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition…

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provides several funding opportunities that can assist states in designing, developing, and implementing statewide education longitudinal data systems. These new and enhanced information systems will enable states to track student progress within and across the secondary and postsecondary education…

Several major universities are not granting academic credit to students who pass the College Board's Advanced Placement Test in Computer Science. Issues related to this trend and to the teaching of computer science in high schools and in colleges are explored. (JN)

Explores reasons why students take introductory physics courses at the university regardless of their Advanced Placement (AP) exam performance. Briefly describes the nature of AP physics, the examination format and reporting of scores, and the results of a survey of physics departments regarding their policies towards AP exam scores and placement…

Describes the Advanced Placement U.S. history program which allows students to earn college credit by taking a standardized test while still in high school. Reviews procedures for selection of multiple choice questions on this test from 1960-1984. States that multiple choice type questions on this test have changed since 1960, but not…

Encourages music teachers to work with students interested in advanced placement (AP) music courses. Discusses the logistics and advantages of placing students in these courses. Describes the Advanced Placement Listening and Literature and the Advanced Placement Theory courses and examinations. Outlines the examination scoring method and looks at…

This report describes a statistically designed experiment that was carried out in an operational setting to determine the contributions of different sources of variation to the unreliability of scoring. The experiment made novel use of partially balanced incomplete block designs that facilitated the unbiased estimation of certain main effects…

This guide to effective writing strategies is based on three ideas that provide motivation for writing skills development in an advanced placement history class: students learn to write by writing; problem essays are more effective in developing writing skills than topic essays; and writing is a learning tool. Stressing that writing practice is…

Experience in evaluating responses to poetry in the Advanced Placement Examination can offer guidelines for the effective testing of students on poetry without reducing their interest in the art. For advanced secondary or first-year college students, teachers should avoid approaches and tests that are concerned with (1) extraneous biographical,…

The high academic quality of advanced placement courses is widely recognized; however, students still have the capacity to improve performance, as shown by an analysis of 1970 test answers. (JB)

The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth found large and consistent sex differences in mathematical reasoning ability favoring boys, as reported by Benbow and Stanley (1980, 1981). This investigation studied the development and consequences during junior and senior high school of the sex differences found in seventh grade. (Author/PN)

Argues that orienting high school teaching towards the advanced placement test fails, ironically, to prepare students for thinking, writing, and reading skills required in college. Noting that standardized tests promote the (misleading) conception of knowledge as correctness, offers a choice-based method for students to analyze writing function…

Compares performance of first-year general chemistry college students from 32 institutions with performance of Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry Candidates in 1978 to provide a concurrent validity measure of the multiple-choice section of the AP chemistry examination. Average AP candidates scored significantly higher than average college students.…