SAT to sub for PARCC in Illinois high schools starting this fall
SAT to sub for PARCC in Illinois high schools starting this fall
Illinois’ State Board of Education (ISBE) recently revealed that high school juniors statewide will be able to take the College Board’s SAT exams free of charge during the 2016-17 school year, replacing the existing test.
“District and school administrators overwhelmingly agree with ISBE that every high school junior should have access to a college entrance exam, a policy that promotes equity and access and that provides each and every student with greater opportunities in higher education,” State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith said. “The SAT is aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards and will continue to empower educators to measure college and career readiness.”
The SAT, including a writing section, will replace the current Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment as the high school accountability standard in Illinois. PARCC will continue to be utilized for younger students, ranging from grades three to eight, as it conforms with Illinois learning standards and provides significant data for educators.
The decision followed careful deliberations and public input as well as legislation focused on ensuring equal accessibility to college and career training — enacted by the Obama administration in the form of 2015’s bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“We applaud State Superintendent Dr. Tony Smith and the state board for listening to input from stakeholders around the state and coming up with this common-sense solution," Brent Clark, executive director for the Illinois Association of School Administrators, said.
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