Amid criticism from conservative corners that its new Advanced Placement U.S. history framework downplayed positive concepts, the College Board this week released a practice exam for the course and said it would clarify controversial elements, Education Week reported. In an open letter, David Coleman, College Board president, said he hoped the unprecedented move of releasing an exam to non-certified A.P. teachers would quell concerns that framework neglected or misrepresented important parts of American history.

"People who are worried that AP U.S. history students will not need to study our nation's founders need only take one look at this exam to see that our founders are resonant throughout," Coleman said, noting that the framework was just that, and that local teachers could add to it as they saw fit. He also said that the board soon would released a "clarified" version of the course outline.

Last week, the Republican National Committee approved a resolution saying that the framework ignored or misrepresented such topics as the motivations of early American settlers and the U.S. role in World War II, along with important historical figures, including Albert Einstein and Rosa Parks. Supporters of the resolution garnered more than a 1,000 signatures asking the College Board to delay enacting the framework, referred to as "APUSH," by one year.