PHOENIX — A major change to the AP testing process after technical glitches prevented thousands of students from submitting their work last week.
Recent Basha High School graduate Tionna Taylor is one of more than two million students who took advanced placement tests last week. The first at-home, online exams because of the coronavirus.
Taylor studied hard and felt prepared but when she went to submit her AP Literature and Composition test, things did not go as planned.
"As I went to click submit it cut me off and then I got the second screen that said you didn't complete your test in time, you'll not be scored and you'll have to file for a retake test in June," said Taylor.
Taylor is set to play soccer for the University of New Mexico next year. She says the glitch will delay her score and it could cost her certain classes first semester.
"She's going in ahead, now you're making her hold back?" said Michelle Wright, Taylor's mom. " (They say) well, I'm sorry she can just sign up for the class by May 28 and I'm like that's not ok."
Wright is one of many parents sounding off to College Board on social media.
Twitter is full of messages and comments from students saying they too had issues and could not submit their work.
"It's like, we have your money, oh well it didn't work, who cares, you know, it's like no biggie," said Wright.
College Board sent ABC15 an email response, complete with screen grabs of positive tweets about the testing process. It says in part, "We share the deep disappointment of students..." but that "...data shows the vast majority of students successfully completed their exams with less than one percent unable to submit their responses."
They have since changed their process going forward. As of Monday, May 18, students "who were not able to submit in the standard process... must then email their responses immediately following their exam."
Still those who tested last week, like Taylor, are out of luck.
"Obviously do as well as you can and try and finish but, once it gets down to that timer, where it tells you it's time to start wrapping up, just almost turn it in instead of finishing it," warned Taylor.
More than 21,000 people have signed a petition asking College Board to reconsider and allow those students to re-submit their time-stamped work.
In the meantime, Taylor plans to take the test again in June and hope for the best.
"I just feel like these kids deserve more after losing their prom, their graduation," said Wright. "They already lost so much, give them something."
FULL STATEMENT FROM COLLEGE BOARD:
An Update on the 2020 AP Exam Administration
"Today is the sixth day of the first-ever online, at-home AP Exam administration.
So far, AP students have taken 2.58 million exams.
We made the decision to offer the 2020 AP Exams online because students overwhelmingly told us they wanted the chance to test. We couldn’t be more proud of all these students who showed up for the opportunity to claim the college credit they worked for all year, despite widespread school closures.
May 18 Exam Overview
Three Exams were given:
- AP Chinese Language and Culture
- AP Biology
- AP Environmental Science
Today, students took nearly 395,000 exams.
Supporting Students
When we embarked on the effort to offer AP Exams online, we created tools to help guide users through this new experience. After the first few days of testing, our data show the vast majority of students successfully completed their exams, with less than 1 percent unable to submit their responses.
We share the deep disappointment of students who were unable to submit responses. Beginning Monday, May 18, and continuing through the makeup window, there will be a backup email submission process for browser-based exams.
· This option will only be available for students who were not able to submit in the standard process—and they must then email their responses immediately following their exam.
· These students will see instructions about how to email their response on the page that says, "We Did Not Receive Your Response." The email address that appears on this page will be unique to each student.
· Any student testing between May 18–22 who can't successfully upload their response through the exam platform or send it to us by email, will need to request a makeup exam.
· Backup email submission guidelines [nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com]
We continue to communicate regularly with students and educators."
