The College Board said Tuesday it would release a new framework for the Advanced Placement course in African American Studies that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration blocked from offering in Florida high schools.
The nonprofit, which oversees the Advanced Placement program nationwide, announced that on February 1 it would «publish the official framework» for an AP African American Studies course, which it said has been in development since March.
The DeSantis administration sent a letter to the College Board rejecting the course this month, saying, «As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacking in educational value.»
A College Board spokesperson did not respond to questions about whether the change was a direct result of Florida’s rejection of the course.
The organization previously said it was testing the course in 60 high schools and routinely collects feedback before offering its courses more widely.
«The official course framework incorporates these comments and defines what students will encounter on the AP exam for college credit and placement,» the College Board said Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Education, which had opposed the curriculum, said it welcomed the upcoming revisions, though they have not yet been published.
«We are pleased that the College Board has recognized that the originally submitted course syllabus is problematic, and encouraged to see the College Board express its willingness to change,» Alex Lanfranconi, an agency spokesman, said in a statement. «AP courses are standardized across the country, and as a result of Florida’s strong stance against identity politics and indoctrination, students across the country will have access to a historically accurate and unbiased course.»
Lanfranconi said he anticipated removing content on topics «that violate our laws,» including critical race theory, black queer studies, and intersectionality.
DeSantis, who won re-election in November and is seen as a possible 2024 presidential candidate, criticized the inclusion of material on queer theory on Monday.
«Who would say that a significant part of black history is queer theory? That’s someone pushing an agenda for our children,» DeSantis said. “So when you look and you see they have stuff on intersectionality, prison abolition, that’s a political agenda. That’s the wrong side of the line by Florida standards.»
DeSantis has made education and other social issues a key part of his administration. Last year, he enacted legislation called the ‘Stop WOKE Act’, which restricts the way race and gender are discussed in classrooms.
The White House last week criticized DeSantis’s opposition to the AP course, calling it «incomprehensible.»
«If you think about the study of black Americans, that’s what he wants to block,» White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a briefing. «They didn’t block AP European History.»