Why getting a 5 on the AP African American Studies exam is more than just a score

Guest Commentary

Exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), as July 5, 2025, in Washington D.C. (Photo/Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

By Matt Reid

My phone recently notified me of a LinkedIn message from Ayden. This past school year, the high school senior sat on the periphery of my classroom, constantly distracting me with hip-hop lyrics knowing they were in my wheelhouse. At first, I misconstrued that as him not caring about the Advanced Placement African American Studies course and just wanting to hang out in class. But when he actually connected lyrics from the new J.Cole album to the content of the course, he changed my mind.

Ayden: “I got a 5 for AP African American Studies.”

Me: “Yoooooooooo! I didn’t check it yet. I’m super proud of you, Ayden! Congratz! Let’s Goooooooooooo!”

When I logged into the Advanced Placement portal later, I saw that Bailey, who sat in the back of the classroom sharing a friendly competitive rivalry all year, got a 5 as well.

According to College Board data, 20 percent of students who take the AP African American Studies exam earn a 5 — the highest score possible — demonstrating the high level of engagement and academic rigor this course demands. While the College Board does not publicly release state-by-state data on which high schools adopt the course, momentum is building right here in Pennsylvania. Initiatives like State College Area High School adopting the course continue to inspire other districts, just the same as mine. Still, isolated successes aren’t enough to ensure our students gain a fuller perspective of our past, present, and future. Pennsylvania must actively encourage more schools and districts to adopt AP’s African American Studies course, while expanding support for more history teachers to receive specialized AP training to lead it.

First, Pennsylvania must clear the structural hurdles to course adoption by providing dedicated state grants, establishing a clear statewide initiative, and streamlining curriculum guidelines. This helps bridge the educational gaps across the state, since financial and administrative constraints often prevent under-resourced districts from introducing new Advanced Placement offerings. State-level adoption grants and a unified curriculum framework directly address these divides, ensuring that a student’s zip code doesn’t dictate whether they can access high-level, culturally relevant coursework. At the same time, a dedicated statewide initiative signals to school boards that teaching complete, honest history is a state priority instead of a local risk. If more districts take this step, students like Ayden and Bailey won’t have to settle for traditional courses to find history that speaks to them and can study a broader perspective of our history.

Federal legislation could magnify these state-level efforts through the Advanced Coursework Equity Act, which would provide competitive grants to get more underrepresented students into advanced courses and train the teachers who lead them. If enacted, this bill would give Pennsylvania districts the essential backing needed to turn classroom wins like mine into a statewide standard.

Second, the state must back this expansion by funding specialized professional development and AP training stipends. Teaching the AP African American Studies course is often viewed as non-traditional rather than what’s actually missing in our collective history. Many teachers need both pedagogical training and state-level backing to feel confident. For instance, my training at Howard University was beneficial for me to return to my classroom to courageously teach the course, which has been viewed as controversial by some. In addition, districts should support their educators to attend spaces such as the Black Men in Education Convening and the HipHopEd Conference. Both of these conferences offer workshops that are based on culturally competent pedagogy. Approaches that gave me even more creative conviction to bridge the hip-hop lyrics that Ayden recited in class with historical events taught in the course. Every teacher in Pennsylvania should be encouraged to embrace and create a similar sense of belonging.

For a teacher like me, receiving a summer text from a student celebrating a 5 on the AP African American Studies exam is everything, and seeing our enrollment double proves students are ready for the challenge. Pennsylvania must expand access to this course so every student has the chance to find their voice, embrace our history, and hear the message: “you’re going to get that 5!”

Matt Reid is a World Cultures, American Cultures, and AP African American Studies high school teacher. He is a Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellowship alumnus whose writing focuses on educational equity, African American history, teacher diversity, and public education policy. His advocacy has included published commentary and contributions to statewide education policy reports.

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