APA gratified that Florida Dept. of Education will allow teaching of full AP Psychology course

Decision puts students ahead of politics

WASHINGTON - August 5, 2023 - Following is a statement by Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, CEO of the American Psychological Association, in response to the decision by the Florida Department of Education allowing high school Advanced Placement Psychology to be taught "in its entirety."

"The Florida Department of Education has done the right thing by agreeing that Advanced Placement Psychology may be taught 'in its entirety,' without censoring information on sexual orientation and gender identity. This decision puts students and science ahead of politics. Florida students have been taught AP Psychology in an age and developmentally appropriate way for the last 25 years and we are pleased that will continue."

APA joined forces with the College Board, developer of AP Psychology, when Florida informed district school superintendents that they could not teach the course if the curriculum included information on sexual orientation or gender identity. APA opposed such censorship on the grounds that its National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula - which Florida has followed -- have included the topics for some 25 years, based on a large body of science.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes over 146,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.