Dr. Laura Hainsworth

As Chief Reader, Dr. Hainsworth will be responsible for overseeing the scoring of close to 160,000 AP Environmental Science exams at the annual AP Reading. Held each June, the AP Reading brings together AP teachers and college faculty members from around the world to evaluate and score the free-response sections of the AP Exams. During the Reading, Professor Hainsworth will oversee more than 600 Readers as they score student responses from the AP Environmental Science exam, ensuring students receive fair and valid scores. Students’ scores on this exam help to determine credit and placement into college courses in science on close to 1,700 college campuses each fall.

“I’m honored to have been selected for this position,” says Dr. Hainsworth. “I get to work with the nation’s most dedicated and creative environmental teaching professionals as they encourage and inspire our next generation of environmental leaders.”

In this role, Professor Hainsworth will serve in a leadership capacity on her subject’s Development Committee, where new tasks and questions are developed for future exams. She will also develop scoring commentaries/narratives for educational training materials that are used by students and teachers across the country and around the world. Additionally, Professor Hainsworth will represent College Board as well as her institution when presenting at the AP Annual Conference and other outreach events throughout the course of the year.

Dr. Hainsworth has been involved with the AP Reading for 12 years and has served in Reading leadership positions for six years.

“The AP Program is grateful for the immeasurable ways Professor Hainsworth, and the institution she represents, has positively impacted the lives of so many students, teachers and college faculty over her many years of service with AP,” says Ken Moulton, senior director, AP Program Delivery. “We look forward to her continued leadership as Chief Reader for AP Environmental Science.”

The AP Program enables willing and academically prepared students to pursue college-level studies – with the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both – while still in high school. In 2021, over 2.5 million students took more than 4.5 million AP exams.