Re: College Board eliminates computer science AP test

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Tim Finin [finin () cs umbc edu]
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2008 11:24 AM
To: Peter Wayner
Cc: David Farber
Subject: Re: [IP] College Board eliminates computer science AP test

Peter Wayner wrote:
> Just a note: a quick scan of the AP site shows that there are two CS
> courses with levels A and AB. The AB program being cut is the more
> rigorous pushing more of the math and more of the data structures.
>   http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_compscia.html?compscia
>   vs
>   http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_compsciab.html?comsciab
> While I can't be certain, my reading of the article suggests that
> they're not eliminating all AP CS courses, just the AB track.
> Does anyone know for certain?

About five minutes after sendinf the message to Dave and blogging about it,
I found this post from yesterday afternoon on the ACM blog, that conforms
that only the CS AB test is being eliminated -- the CS A test will continue.
Still, I think it is not a good sign.  I think most people would consider
offering AP courses in computer science to be in a different category than
Latin Literature, one of the other AP tests eliminated.  Of course, I might
be biased...

http://usacm.acm.org/usacm/weblog/index.php?p=593

"Today’s Washington Post has an article stating that
the College Board, (the body that administers Advanced
Placement courses) is doing away with several AP courses
– including one computer science course. Reading the
article, you’d likely reach the conclusion, as attested
by e-mails I’ve seen this morning, that all AP computer
science courses are being eliminated. This is not the
case. There are two AP computer science courses – AP
Computer Science A, and AP Computer Science AB. The
college board is eliminating the less popular AB
course, not the A course. ... "

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