This school year, Kentucky public schools will stop using the ACT as the main state-funded test for high school juniors and will start using the SAT instead. The Kentucky Department of Education made this decision to better match what colleges are looking for and to help students get ready for life after high school.
“I wasn’t expecting the change, but I’m hoping the SAT will feel more like the work we do in class,” Ethan Krebs (11) said.
State education leaders say the SAT is a good fit because it now has a digital version and focuses on reading, writing, and math skills that students need in college or at a job. More colleges across the country accept the SAT, and the state believes it matches up well with what students are learning in school. The change came after the state looked at test data, talked to teachers, and considered what would be fair for all students.
Some people are happy about the change, saying the SAT might be easier for certain students and that taking it for free is a big help. But others are worried because they’re more familiar with the ACT and think it will take time to adjust. Schools will be given extra support and tools to help students and teachers get ready for the new test.
“I am glad to have missed this change because I think having to transition between the two types of tests could have limited my ability to receive a score I was happy with,” Addie Litner (12) said.
The shift from the ACT to the SAT represents one of the biggest statewide testing changes in years. Many Kentucky high schools have built their college programs around the ACT, offering test prep sessions, practice exams, and curriculum to ACT standards. Schools are adapting their programs to the SAT format. Teachers are forming new practice materials, lesson plans, and preparing students for a new test format.
“I think it was an abrupt change, and as a teacher, we were kind of scrambling to figure out how to best serve our students. I was taken aback by it; it is what it is,” math teacher Katie Carelock said.
The SAT may give a clearer picture of students’ academic abilities because it focuses on reading, writing, and math skills. The test also adjusts its difficulty level based on how students answer questions.
When asked whether the SAT is a better measure of their skills than the ACT, students and teachers had different opinions. Some students think the SAT focuses more on what they learn in class, which shows their skills better. Others believe the ACT’s timing and question styles are a better test of what they know. Teachers also had mixed views.
“I feel like the SAT shows what I actually learn in class, not just how fast I can answer questions,” Jude Borden (11) said.
The bluebirds will see a transition this year as they anticipate what’s to come with the shift between ACT and SAT, there is still uncertainty for students.
