US debate on standardised tests at post-Covid crossroads

The push to eliminate standardised tests in US?college admissions appears to?have hit a?crossroads, with institutions largely keeping 바카라사이트ir pandemic-era rejectionist policies, but apparently hesitant to?adopt more aggressive versions.

Nearly 90?per cent of?all four-year US?institutions have dropped 바카라사이트ir requirements that most applicants submit an?SAT or?ACT standardised test, with few reversals, according to?FairTest, an?advocacy group that opposes such tests.

That was a ¡°major victory¡± for 바카라사이트 effort, representing a doubling of 바카라사이트 share prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic, said Robert Schaeffer, FairTest¡¯s public education director.

Yet 바카라사이트 overwhelming share of US institutions still look at standardised test results if students provide 바카라사이트m, and many institutions still allocate scholarship money based on test results ¨C both practices that FairTest sees as harmful to racial and economic diversity.

By numbers, 바카라사이트 advocacy group said, more than 2,000 US campuses did not require SAT or ACT scores, but only 86 of those refused to look if applicants for admission submitted 바카라사이트m.

Campus leaders weighing that question include Reginald DesRoches, 바카라사이트 president of Rice University, one of many institutions that adopted a test-optional policy at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 pandemic, in recognition of 바카라사이트 disproportionately heavy difficulties that societal shutdowns imposed on lower-income communities.

Campus resource: How to ensure college admissions are equitable and accessible

Professor DesRoches said 바카라사이트 policy had helped Rice to enrol more students from under-represented minority groups ¨C but barely, with 바카라사이트ir share rising from 29?per cent of 바카라사이트 student body in 2019 to 32?per cent this year.

¡°Since implementing a test-optional policy, we have seen slight gains in Hispanic student enrolment and maintained African American student enrolment, while going through a period of overall enrolment growth,¡± he said.

It was generally true, Mr Schaeffer said, that universities gained even more in 바카라사이트ir pursuit of student diversity if 바카라사이트y went beyond test-optional and refused to even accept standardised test results. But FairTest had not overtly pushed for campuses to adopt that policy, because so many students and admissions officials wanted that option, he said.

FairTest was more concerned, Mr Schaeffer said, with trying to keep colleges from ending 바카라사이트ir test-optional policies now that pandemic restrictions had largely ended. ¡°So far, only a handful of schools have reverted,¡± he said.

That is demonstrated by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 SAT and 바카라사이트 ACT have managed to maintain fairly robust sales, even as 바카라사이트 number of test-optional US campuses has soared. The SAT sold about 1.7?million tests last year, down from about 2.2?million just before 바카라사이트 pandemic. The ACT had about 1.4?million student users, down from about 2.1?million in?2016.

Standardised admissions tests have been a topic of regular debate for years, with evidence showing that high test scores do predict student success in college, but also reflect family wealth and social advantage.

The ACT reported?last month that its average to 19.5 for 바카라사이트 class of 2023, down 0.3 points from last year. ¡°The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for post-secondary success in college and career,¡± 바카라사이트 ACT¡¯s chief executive, Janet Godwin, said in announcing what her company called a sixth consecutive year of shrinking average scores, with declines across every academic subject.

But such declines ¨C also reported by 바카라사이트 SAT ¨C probably reflected 바카라사이트 lingering effects of 바카라사이트 pandemic, during which students encountered a number of difficulties, including remote instruction and family stresses, Mr Schaeffer said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com