New Changes to College Board Testing Policies at Irvington
Irvington has implemented significant updates to its policies regarding College Board testing on campus. College Board, the non-profit organization responsible for the Advanced Placement (AP) program and the SAT/PSAT exams, has also made nationwide adjustments to its testing procedures.
These changes have directly impacted Irvington students. The PSAT, a practice version of the SAT, was previously available to both 10th and 11th graders each October. This year, however, it was administered only to 11th graders on October 2nd and 3rd. When asked about the reason for this change, Mrs. Howell, who oversees PSAT/SAT administration at Irvington, stated, “It’s a district decision.” Similar adjustments to PSAT and SAT administration have been observed across other high schools in the district.
On a national level, there has been a push toward digitizing College Board exams. The SAT transitioned to a fully digital format in March 2024 and will continue to be conducted electronically. In the upcoming 2025 AP testing cycle, students will experience a shift to digital AP testing as well. College Board has attributed this move to reducing cheating and ensuring fairer testing conditions for students nationwide.
Mr. Aucoin, Irvington’s AP coordinator, discussed how these changes will be implemented at the school. “We are currently registering for the exams. I’ve had preliminary discussions with some of our IT staff about what might need to change to enhance our internet service for successfully administering the exams in this new digital format.” He also mentioned that 9th and 10th graders will be allowed to register for only two self-study AP exams: AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics, while 11th and 12th graders will continue to receive priority for self-study registration.
Mr. Aucoin acknowledged that limiting the number of APs available to underclassmen can create unnecessary pressure later on. “I feel like sometimes students think they need to take more AP exams than their universities actually require,” he explained. “However, I understand the argument that if they could spread these exams over four years, it might be a bit easier.”
Fremont Unified has also emphasized the importance of consistency in testing policies across high school sites. “It’s really a district policy. If you check Mission’s, Washington’s, or American’s AP testing policies, they will be exactly the same as ours,” Mr. Aucoin noted. “We have the same policies, exam costs, and registration windows. It’s a broader discussion involving the entire district since we, as coordinators, adopt the same policies.”
Despite the numerous changes to testing administration this year, students will go through the registration process for all tests in the same manner as in previous years.