AP Test Scores Skyrocket Due to Grade Inflation

A “reassessment” of scores on the AP tests taken by numerous high school students indicates that this year, the proportion of students achieving top scores on certain commonly taken tests has approximately doubled.

For instance, in AP United States Government and Politics, the percentage of students earning a 4 or 5, the top scores on the test, surged from 24.1 percent in 2023 to 49 percent in 2024 among the 329,132 test-takers. Similarly, in AP United States History, the share of students earning a 4 or 5 increased from 25.4 percent in 2023 to 46 percent in 2024 out of 467,975 students.

Are the quality of high school AP history and government instructors in 2024 twice as effective as their 2023 counterparts? Are the students twice as intelligent or twice as diligent?

The adjustment in the test scores is aimed to align them with the grading standards of college courses for which AP tests can yield credits. Students who received higher scores this year might not be aware that their scores do not correspond to the previous years’ standards but have been adjusted. However, not everyone is pleased with the lack of transparency surrounding the recalibration project.

John Moscatiello, a teacher, mentions, “The lack of transparency about this recalibration project has left a lot of teachers confused and frustrated.” He further questions if aligning AP scores with college grades is a sustainable approach.

Tom Loveless, an education policy researcher, warns that the recalibration of AP scores might undermine the program’s credibility. He emphasizes the potential impact on working-class students in reducing college costs.

AP English Literature, Biology, and Chemistry tests have all undergone similar recalibrations recently, leading to increased scores. This trend raises concerns about the true measure of student success and the program’s rigor.

Ira Stoll, a former managing editor of Education Next, writes regularly at The Editors. This blog originally appeared as a post at The Editors.