Facing unclear guidance, multiple Florida school districts drop AP Psych

At least nine school districts in Florida will be dropping the Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course and switching to alternatives this upcoming school year to avoid potential conflict with state law. 

Last week, the College Board said its AP Psychology class was “effectively banned” in Florida under the state’s law that forbids discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in most classroom settings. 

But the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) disputed that characterization, saying the administration did not tell schools the class was banned.

“In fact, the Department believes that AP Psychology can be taught in its entirety in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate and the course remains listed in our course catalog,” FLDOE Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wrote Friday in a letter obtained by the Tallahassee Democrat.

The College Board, however, emphasized that without the lessons regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, AP Psych could not count for college credit. 

In response, some of the largest school districts in the state told The Hill on Wednesday that they have opted to play it safe and switch their psych courses for the year. 

Many of the schools have decided to move over to the Cambridge Psychology course to ensure their students can take a college-level psych course for credit. 

“Polk County Public Schools will not be offering AP psychology for the 23-24 school year. Instead, we will offer options including IB Psychology, Cambridge Psychology, or a commensurate Dual Enrollment course,” Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said in a letter to parents.  

“The FLDOE shared that the course may be taught in its entirety so long as it is done in a manner that is age- and developmentally appropriate. However, no guidance was provided as to how this could be done. Additionally, when asked if the department had received confirmation from College Board that this would be sufficient, they shared that they had not been in contact with them.”

The Hill has reached out to Florida’s Education Department for comment.

The switch is happening on a tight schedule as many schools in Florida are soon set to open for the academic year, with some still unsure what will replace the class.

“The Osceola School District will not offer AP Psychology this year. We are making alternative arrangements and scheduling decisions for our students to offer rigorous, college-level psychology courses at our high schools,” a spokesperson for that district said. 

However, not all are jumping ship from AP Psych despite the uncertainty around the issue. 

“Miami-Dade County Public Schools will offer high school students the Advanced Placement Psychology course for the 2023-2024 school year,” a spokesperson said. 

The confusion is the latest escalation between the College Board and Florida, which have been battling over courses since the beginning of the year. 

AP Psych is the second course to fall victim to the fight, with Florida banning the pilot course for AP African American studies from its schools earlier this year, with officials also citing its inclusion of queer studies and lessons regarding sexuality.