The F=ma Exam is way more than a test. It is a culmination of months of hard work and passion for physics. I, like many other participants, invested countless hours preparing for this challenging examination. We entered this academic competition with integrity and the hope that our honest efforts would be fairly assessed.

However, the 2026 F=ma Exam exposed glaring issues in test security since its first shift to a digital format. Despite the exam's immense difficulty, the cutoff score was raised. Sure, higher test-taker proficiency is possible and AAPT wanted to reduce qualifiers to the usual 400. But the discrepancy between the difficulty and cutoff; the lack of digital exam security; and the reports of security failures and alleged breaches all point to a critical problem: cheating. It's disheartening to see such violations of the spirit of academic competition, to witness opportunities being robbed from those who genuinely deserve them.

AAPT itself recognized that exam security required safeguards in 2025-26, yet the transition to a digital exam introduced new security concerns that warrant further action. It is imperative that the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) takes swift and thorough action to restore the credibility and fairness of the F=ma Exam. We propose the following actionable solutions:

- Secure Exam Technologies: AAPT must implement robust browser lockdown protocols to prevent any form of cheating during the examination. Any loopholes should be thoroughly identified and resolved before the test.

- Legitimacy and Verification: All test centers must be verified and accredited, with stringent ID verification processes in place to ensure that only legitimate candidates can sit for the exam.

- Optimal Testing Environments: Ensure every test taker has adequate space and conducive testing conditions, minimizing disturbances and distractions during the examination.

- Variability and Timing: Implement shorter testing windows or develop different versions of the exam to reduce the chances of academic dishonesty propagating through shared information.

These steps are critical to upholding the high standards that the F=ma Exam represents. It is crucial that our academic competitions reflect fairness and trust, rewarding those who meet the challenges honestly.

Sign this petition to urge the AAPT to prioritize these security enhancements and ensure a level playing field for all science enthusiasts. Let us work together to preserve the integrity of our nation's Physics Olympiad.