Seven prominent private schools in the D.C. area plan to eliminate Advanced Placement classes over the next four years, asserting in an unusual joint statement Monday that the program has “diminished utility,” is not necessary for college-bound students and puts too much emphasis on speedy absorption of course material and memorization.
With their move, the schools drew attention to a quiet pushback against AP in certain quarters of the education world even as the program has gained enormous influence in American high schools. It is a nationally recognized credential for motivated students and a stepping-stone to college. But critics decry what they perceive as the regimentation of the AP schedule and course content, with classes pointed toward high-stakes tests in May.