Sorry, Test Haters, But Here's Why Standardized Testing is Here to Stay
In March, prestigious Columbia University became the first Ivy League school to go test optional, dropping their long-standing standardized testing requirement for admissions. Following suit in April, SUNY (The State University of New York) made a similar announcement.
Now, test haters may rejoice, and this may be considered another setback for the college testing industry; but, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this is a setback for the testing industry as a whole.
Standardized Tests are About More than Just College
As test-prep professionals and tutors, many (if not most) of our clients are college-bound students studying to increase their grades, GPAs, and SAT®/ACT® test scores, hoping to gain every last advantage available to get into the college or program of their dreams.
Focusing on college admissions is all well and good, but there is another significant hurdle to clear first: high school graduation.
According to federal law, all states are required to administer standardized testing (thanks, No Child Left Behind Act and Every Student Succeeds Act—more on these later) to all public school students, primary through secondary school. And most states require their high school students to take a benchmark exam as a graduation requirement. The SAT® and ACT® are increasingly being offered as testing options to meet that requirement.
Unpacking Standardized Testing as a Graduation Requirement
The 2002 No Child Left Behind Act required that all public school students participate in standardized testing as a means of using student performance to hold public schools accountable for meeting state standards.
In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act replaced the No Child Left Behind Act, and required every state to not only continue to report student performance, but also to provide a public “State Report Card” with data, such as enrollment, graduation rates, college entrance rates, and more.
With all states requiring standardized testing in public schools, the College Board and ACT have successfully marketed the SAT® and ACT®, respectively, to many state public schools as a way to check the box for standardized testing data.
Case in point, here are just a few of the states that use the SAT®, ACT®, or either/or as a high school graduation requirement:
SAT® Required: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire
ACT® Required: Hawaii, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Wyoming
SAT® or ACT®: Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee
Didn’t expect some of those states on that list, huh? And that’s not even a comprehensive list.
Many other states, such as Florida, New Jersey, Utah, and North Dakota, accept the SAT®, ACT®, or alternative benchmark exam/portfolio as a graduation requirement. And some states, like Alabama, are adding standardized testing as a new high school graduation requirement for future graduating classes.
For information on the 2022 Annual State Reports regarding the SAT® and the ACT®, check out the following links:
Average ACT Scores by State Graduating Class of 2022
What Does This Mean?
Again, while test haters may rejoice at every college testing setback, test supporters understand that standardized testing is so much more than just a college admissions data point. And, most importantly, standardized testing isn’t going anywhere.
So, when you’re at your next family dinner, and Uncle Benny (a test hater) says, “Hey little buddy, I saw that article in the New York Post about the death of standardized testing;” you can respond with:
a.) “The New York Post is such garbage that even the New York Post doesn’t read the New York Post, Uncle Benny. Find a new news source!”
b.) “That’s interesting because I didn’t know you could read, Uncle Benny.”
c.) Smile, say “Thanks for the heads up, Uncle Benny!,” and take comfort in knowing that the test-prep industry will sleep just fine tonight.
Just go with answer c.).
As always, thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to subscribe to our blog for more test prep and tutoring advice. And check out some of our other posts for further reading on this topic:
More Than Just a Score: The Unsung Benefits of Standardized Testing
ACT® and SAT® Scores: What Do High Schools and Colleges Gain From Them?
Standardized Testing Comes Up Smiling: Mandates Are Being Reinstated for Some Colleges
When Colleges Say 'Good Riddance' to Standardized Testing, Do Prospective Students Benefit?
Submitting Test Scores Can Save Students From Remedial College Courses
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