Professors Rosati, Schlozman and Conradt offered some interesting views on the United States Government and Politics advanced placement examination in the Fall issue of The Political Science Teacher. I would like to add a few comments to the discussion. My remarks are based on my experience teaching 144 Kingswood-Oxford AP government seniors over the three years of the test, as well as my contact with other AP teachers. I have led the U.S. Government and Politics workshop at the 1988 and 1989 Northeast Regional Conference on the Social Studies, where I have had a chance to talk with many teachers who are offering AP courses.

First, Professor Rosati identifies the inadequate background of some high school AP Government and Politics teachers as a significant problem. While all the teachers I have encountered seem well qualified, I concede that inadequately prepared staff may be a problem. Undoubtedly, the most concerned are the teachers themselves: no teacher enjoys groping his or her way through unfamiliar material for a semester, with the added pressure of awaiting AP results which may reveal clearly the gaps in the course. Professor Schlozman suggests a remedy which I feel should be underscored. Workshops and institutes are helpful, although not all can attend and they are over in a few days or weeks. More useful is an on-going reliable relationship between a high school AP teacher and a college professor who is familiar with the introductory American government course.