The numbers of Florida students taking and passing the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles exam and the more advanced Computer Science A exam are trending upward – rapidly in the case of the Principles course – according to 2019 AP Program Participation and Performance data released on Friday by the College Board.
The sharp increases in the AP computer science courses contrast sharply with the decreases occurring in the algebra-based Physics 1 and 2 courses. The numbers of students taking and passing the Physics 2 exam dropped precipitously this year. The numbers of takers and passers for the calculus-based AP Physics C exams rose this year, perhaps as teachers, parents and students chose to take the Physics C instead of Physics 2. As algebra-based courses, Physics 1 and 2 do not satisfy the physics requirements for college majors in fields like engineering, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, meteorology and (of course) physics because those majors require calculus-based physics courses.
While dual enrollment – an alternative to AP for earning college credits in high school – has become increasingly popular in Florida’s public high schools, competition from dual enrollment does not appear to be responsible for the decline in Physics 1 and Physics 2 course-taking. While the number of Florida students taking the Physics 1 exam dropped by 703 from 2018 to 2019, only 55 students statewide dual enrolled in the equivalent college course, PHY 2053C (including PHY 1053C and PHY C053) in the Spring of 2019. The number of students taking the Physics 2 exam declined by 297 from 2018 to 2019, but only 27 Florida high school students dual enrolled in the corresponding college course, PHY 2054C (and PHY 1054C and PHY C054) in the spring semester. (Dual enrollment data are from the Florida Department of Education)
Among the other AP courses in math and science subjects, only Calculus BC seems to be trending upward. Calculus AB, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science were all approximately flat.
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