Important Changes: 2008-09
AP course, exam, and service enhancements
The AP Program periodically makes changes to courses and exams to ensure that each reflects current standards for college-level learning in that subject. In addition, annual service enhancements are implemented to improve the exam administration experience for Coordinators and administrators. See below for a list of changes to be implemented in the 2008-09 academic year:
Exam fee: The fee for each exam is $86, with schools retaining an $8 rebate per exam.
Free downloadable resources for AP teachers:
- Practice exams, first released in spring 2008, are available to authorized AP teachers through their AP Course Audit accounts.
- Curriculum modules in Calculus, Computer Science, Comparative Government and Politics, English Language, Latin Literature, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Music Theory, Psychology, and United States History are available on the Course Home Pages on AP Central®.
- Twenty-three AP Teacher’s Guides are available on the Course Home Pages. Five new Teacher’s Guides will be released later this year.
Service enhancements:
- Online ordering of Braille and large-type exam materials: Schools may order their Braille and 14- and 20-point large-type exams and large-block answer sheets online along with their regular-format exam materials. Details will be provided in the AP Coordinator’s Manual.
- AP Services Call Center hours extended: From April 20 to May 22, 2009, AP Services will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Four AP Courses and Exams Discontinued After the 2009 Administration: 2008-09 will be the final year in which AP French Literature, AP Latin Literature, AP Italian Language and Culture, and AP Computer Science AB courses and exams will be offered.
Course and exam content:
- AP Spanish Language: Paragraph Completions (Section II: Part A, Writing) have been eliminated from the May 2009 AP Spanish Language Exam, in an effort to shorten the overall time it takes to administer the exam. More information about this change will be made available in the AP Coordinator's Manual.
- AP Studio Art: Beginning this school year, the College Board will implement a digital, Web-based submission process for the three AP Studio Art portfolios. For the May 2009 exam administration, artworks for Studio Art portfolio sections that have traditionally required slides will be submitted as digital images. Please note that changing from slides to digital submission will not change any of the content requirements for the portfolios. The Quality section for Drawing and 2-D Design will still require students to submit actual artworks, and the number of images required for all sections will remain the same. More information about the change will be emailed to AP Coordinators and teachers this fall.
- AP Chinese Language and Culture: The number of free-response question types has been reduced from seven to four. In 2009, students will be assessed on the following free-response question-types: Interpersonal Writing: E-mail Response; Presentational Writing: Story Narration; Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation; and Presentational Speaking: Cultural Presentation.
- AP Japanese Language and Culture: The number of free-response question types has been reduced from seven to four. In 2009, students will be assessed on the following free-response question-types: Interpersonal Writing: Text Chat; Presentational Writing: Compare and Contrast Article; Interpersonal Speaking: Conversation; and Presentational Speaking: Cultural Perspective Presentation.