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AP CSP Performance Task

Learn more about the AP CSP Performance task

Zach Galant avatar
Written by Zach Galant
Updated over a week ago

AP CSP Create Performance Task

The Create Performance Task consists of three components: Program Code, Video, and a Personalized Project Reference. Students will need to create a program that contains an input and an output and uses a list or array. Students should also develop and use a procedure or function containing an algorithm that includes sequencing, selection, and iteration. As long as students can answer the written response questions about their program, they can make anything they want.

Students can develop their Performance Task in the Performance Task unit of the course or in the CodeHS Sandbox but will need to upload a final submission to the College Board AP Digital Portfolio containing a video demonstrating execution of their code, the code itself, and answers to the prompts.

The written-response component - formerly part of the Create Performance Task - has been moved to the end-of-course exam, where students will respond to four prompts, each corresponding to one of four categories: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Algorithm Development; Errors and Testing; and Data and Procedural Abstraction. The written responses will be based on the Personal Project Reference that students turn in. Students will receive a copy of their project on the exam day and use this copy to answer the four prompts.

Preparing for AP CSP Exam Changes

In response to the implications of ChatGPT and other similar generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the Create Performance Task, the College Board made adjustments to the Create Performance task for 2023-24. Below are some things you can do to make sure you are prepared for these updates.

Sample Performance Tasks

The College Board has published samples with scoring guidelines. You can see these samples and how the College Board scored those submissions here.

The following are examples on the CodeHS site with theoretical scores and scoring guidelines:

Submitting Performance Tasks to the College Board

To submit Performance Tasks, teachers will need to create classes using College Board's digital portfolio site. Then students can join their teacher's class to submit their Performance Tasks to the College Board.

CodeHS cannot give students access to College Board's Digital Portfolio site and cannot submit Performance Tasks to College Board. Students and teachers must make sure they have access to the AP Digital Portfolio site and submit their Performance Tasks by the College Board deadline for their Performance Tasks to be scored.

For more information, check out the College Board's Digital Portfolio Guide.

Downloading Program Code

Students can download a .txt or a .zip file of their Program Code from their Sandbox or from the Create Performance Task assignment. Check out this article for instructions on how to download student code.

Because the Program Code component must be uploaded as a .pdf without names or personally identifying information, students can click More > Print > Print Without Name and choose to save the file as a .pdf to generate an acceptable file for the Performance Task:

screenshot of the opened More tab of the IDE pointing to Print

Video Recording

Students should submit video files no larger than 30MB and fewer than 60 seconds in length. The supported file types for the Video submission are: .mp4, .wmv, .avi, and .mov

While students can use any method to produce the video -- including recording their program with a phone -- screen capture tools can generally help create appropriately sized files. Here are a couple of examples of web-based screen capture tools:

Remember: Students must not publicly post or share any portions of their performance task components.

You can find more information about our AP CSP courses in our AP CSP Hub.


Still have questions? Contact our team at hello@codehs.com to learn more!

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