AP Exam Scores Surge Since Pandemic, Sparking Grade Inflation Debate

Four years after the pandemic, the share of high-schoolers achieving a 5 on the AP English Literature exam climbed from 17% to more than 43%, and comparable gains appeared across eight other AP subjects. The College Board attributes the rise to its Evidence-Based Standard Setting (EBSS) scoring model, introduced around 2022, which expanded the group of professors and teachers determining score cutoffs. Education Next’s analysis links the surge to this new system, noting that traditional panels were smaller.

Detractors, including a researcher from the American Enterprise Institute, contend that the higher pass rates stem from lowered standards rather than genuine learning gains. College Board’s senior vice president and its media director argue that the exams themselves have not been altered and that EBSS simply provides a more data-rich way to verify college-level achievement. The debate raises concerns about whether AP courses continue to prepare students adequately for university work.