Page 8 - The Edge Issue 8

UNSTANDARDIZED COVID-19 has changed nearly every aspect of students’- including state and AP testing. Story by Hana Hunter and Felicity Torres
1. What is going to happen to state and AP testing?
a) Correct answer- the whole process is subject to change.
The Spring Semester at Edgewood is always action- packed with academic and extracurricular activities,
senior activities, prom, graduation and testing. However, under social distancing restrictions and an atmosphere of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, most of these activities have been cancelled or postponed by the school district, much to the disappointment of students.
From the first hint of discussions about school closures, administrators, teachers and students have worried about the diminished class time, lack of face-to-face instruction. and other logistics would impact student Edgewood students on the state and AP exams. As the unprecedented quarantine and closures lingered on, information on testing trickled in and hard decisions were made at the state and national level.
The state of Florida, along with many other states across
exams will consist of a single free-response question, and time will be capped at 45 minutes. The AP exams of 2020 will be like no other in the past, and students and teachers have been scrambling to adjust.
Just like many other history APs, the AP US History test has been redesigned to constitute only one DBQ, or Document-Based Question. While the Document-Based Questions are a good way to demonstrate a student’s ability to argue a historical point, Mr. Michael Brocchini,
3.
a) 32,566 students b) 53,816 students c) 76,128 students d) 80,175 students
In 2013, how many students left high school having taken an AP exam?
2.
a) 2.6 million students b) 1.8 million students c) 5.7 million students d) 6.5 million students
How many students are there in the state of Florida?
the country, has decided to cancel all state standardized testing. The Florida Standard Assessments (FSA) and End Of Course (EOC) tests are no longer scheduled to occur. The AP exams, however, will go ahead.
Advanced Placement classes are ever-present on most Edgewood students’ schedules, with 74% of students enrolled in at least one AP class compared to 24%
at most other high schools in the state of Florida. AP testing is administered by the College Board, and all test administrations must be universal and approved for the entire country. Due to COVID-19 and the resulting school closures nationwide, though, the College Board had to make some difficult decisions about AP testing.
In March 2020, there was discussion of cancelling the AP exams altogether, but after a nationwide survey of students and teachers, the College Board decided to allow testing to
7go forward but in an abbreviated and online format. Most
who teaches APUSH, isn’t sure that they are the best way for a student to showcase their understanding of history. He believes that several Short-Answer Questions,
or SAQs, would have been a preferable format for the exam.
“This would have been the best way for students to display their knowledge of different topics and time periods while also displaying their ability to craft arguments supported by evidence. I don’t think that one DBQ question accomplishes that task as fairly and effectively,” said Brocchini.
Ms. Paige Sierra, Edgewood AP psychology teacher, has been forced to switch up her methods and shift her focus this last quarter. However, she is relying on her psychology background to send a positive message to her students.
“If you think you can do this, you prepare, then I believe you will do well because a positive mindset matters,” Sierra says.
Ms. Julia Horton, who teaches AP Environmental Science, believes our students can overcome these obstacles.
“Edgewood already has an edge compared to students in other schools,” said Horton.
Teachers and students agree that this year’s exams will be both challenging and memorable. Edgewood students need to stay on track, focus, continue to study, review and be as prepared as possible for the unfamiliar test formats. AP testing in 2020 will be unlike any other year, so make sure to stay on track and continue to prepare yourself to do the best you can.
Answers: 2. a; 3. d