What Happened to College Board?
The College Board, a non-profit organization, has undergone significant transformations in recent years, primarily transitioning its major assessments, the SAT and most AP Exams, to fully digital formats by 2024 and 2025, respectively. Concurrently, it has faced public scrutiny over the development and revisions of its AP African American Studies course amid political pressures, while also expanding its offerings with new career-focused AP subjects and enhancing accessibility features for its digital tests.
Quick Answer
The College Board has largely transitioned its core standardized tests to digital formats, with the SAT becoming fully digital in the U.S. in March 2024 and most AP Exams following suit in May 2025. This shift aims for a more streamlined, secure, and accessible testing experience, featuring adaptive testing for the SAT and faster score reporting. The organization also navigated significant controversy surrounding its AP African American Studies course, which saw revisions before its official launch in the 2024-25 school year. As of early 2026, the College Board continues to innovate with new AP courses and accommodations for its digital assessments.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
College Board Announces Digital SAT Transition
The College Board announced that the SAT would transition to a digital format, promising an easier, shorter (2 hours), and more relevant test experience, with calculators allowed for the entire math section.
AP African American Studies Course Pilot Begins
The College Board launched a pilot program for its new AP African American Studies course in 60 schools across the U.S.
Digital SAT Launches Internationally
The digital SAT was first administered to students at international test centers, marking the initial phase of its global rollout.
AP African American Studies Course Faces Controversy and Initial Revisions
Following criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who threatened to ban the course, the College Board made initial revisions to the AP African American Studies curriculum, removing or making optional topics like critical race theory and Black Lives Matter.
Digital PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9 Launched in U.S.
The PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9 transitioned to a digital format for U.S. students, preparing them for the upcoming digital SAT.
Revised AP African American Studies Framework Released
The College Board released a further revised framework for the AP African American Studies course, which would officially launch in the 2024-25 school year, aiming to address previous criticisms and align with college-level expectations.
Digital SAT Fully Launched in U.S.
The digital SAT was administered to U.S. students for the first time, completing the transition of the SAT Suite of Assessments to a fully digital format across the United States.
Announcement of Digital AP Exams for 2025
The College Board announced that most AP Exams (28 out of 36 subjects) would transition to a digital format for the May 2025 administration, utilizing the Bluebook app.
Most AP Exams Administered Digitally
The majority of AP Exams were administered digitally for the first time, marking a significant shift in the Advanced Placement program.
SAT Participation Surpasses 2 Million for Class of 2025
The College Board announced that SAT participation for the Class of 2025 surpassed 2 million test takers, the first time since 2020, indicating a rebound in test-taking numbers.
Partnership for Personal Finance and Business Education
College Board partnered with the Council for Economic Education to bring high-quality personal finance and business education to high schools nationwide.
Investment in Teamship for Career-Connected Learning
The College Board announced an investment in 'Teamship,' expanding career-connected learning opportunities for students nationwide.
New Accommodations and Bluebook Updates for Spring 2026
Upcoming changes for Spring 2026 include new text-to-speech and screen reader accommodations for Math sections, paper braille accommodations, a new full-length SAT practice test in Bluebook, and a prohibition on smart glasses during testing.
AP Statistics and World Language Revisions, New AP Courses
Major revisions to AP Statistics and AP World Language courses are set to launch, alongside the introduction of new AP Business and AP Cybersecurity courses as part of the 'AP Career Kickstart' program.
🔍Deep Dive Analysis
The College Board, a prominent non-profit organization in the U.S. education landscape, has experienced a period of rapid evolution and public discourse, particularly from 2023 through early 2026. A pivotal development has been the comprehensive shift of its flagship standardized tests to digital platforms. The SAT, a cornerstone of college admissions for decades, began its digital rollout internationally in March 2023, followed by the digital PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 8/9 in the U.S. in Fall 2023. The full transition to a digital SAT for all U.S. test-takers was completed in March 2024. This new digital format is shorter, adaptive, allows for a built-in calculator throughout the math section, and promises faster score reporting, moving from weeks to days. Feedback from early digital test-takers and staff has largely been positive, citing an easier and quicker experience.
Building on the success of the digital SAT, the College Board announced in July 2024 that most Advanced Placement (AP) Exams would also transition to a digital format for the May 2025 administration. This change affected 28 out of 36 AP subjects, utilizing the same Bluebook digital testing application as the SAT. This move reflects a broader strategy to modernize testing, enhance security, and cater to 'digital native' students.
Another significant area of focus and controversy for the College Board has been the development of its AP African American Studies course. After piloting the course in 60 schools in 2022-2023, the curriculum faced intense criticism, notably from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who threatened to ban it, alleging political motivations and the inclusion of 'woke indoctrination' related to topics like critical race theory, Black Lives Matter, and queer studies. The College Board subsequently revised the framework in February 2023 and again in December 2023, aiming to align it more closely with introductory college-level courses and address feedback. While the course officially launched in the 2024-25 school year, the revisions drew criticism from scholars and activists who felt the College Board had capitulated to political pressure. The first AP Exam for this course is scheduled for Spring 2025.
Looking ahead to 2026, the College Board continues to refine its offerings and policies. Significant revisions to the AP Statistics course are slated for the 2026-27 school year, including a reduced algebra prerequisite, unit consolidation, and changes to the exam structure. AP World Language exams are also moving to the Bluebook platform in 2026, with changes to speaking tasks and MCQ sections. Furthermore, the College Board is introducing new AP Business and AP Cybersecurity courses as part of an 'AP Career Kickstart' program, aiming to more directly link AP studies with career pathways. The organization has also implemented various accessibility updates for its digital tests in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, including new text-to-speech and screen reader accommodations for math sections, and a prohibition on smart glasses during testing. Despite these advancements, the College Board continues to face scrutiny regarding its non-profit status, executive compensation, and the perceived influence of political agendas on its curriculum development.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if College Board made different choices?