The Florida Board of Governors has made history by approving Classic Learning Test (CLT) scores in college admissions, becoming the first state university system to support this SAT and ACT alternative.

This decision, influenced by 14 members appointed by Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, exemplifies the state's ongoing efforts to reform its education system.

Florida Becomes Pioneer State to Embrace CLT in College Admissions Reform

The CLT was introduced in December 2015 and is currently acknowledged by more than 250 colleges and universities in the United States. Per NY Times, unlike the SAT and ACT, the CLT is a three-part, two-hour exam that tests students on verbal reasoning, grammar, composition, and quantitative reasoning, providing same-day score access.

Amanda Phalin, an associate professor at the University of Florida, expressed reservations about the approval and emphasized the need for additional empirical evidence regarding the CLT's efficacy as an admissions measure.

She declared, "I am not opposed to the use of CLT. I am opposed to its use at this time because we lack empirical evidence demonstrating that it is of the same caliber as the ACT and SAT."

According to the test's 2018 technical report, the CLT "draws on sources that have shaped the course of Western intellectual thought" and incorporates writings by historic authors spanning centuries, distinguishing it from the SAT and ACT's reliance on more recent passages.

In April, the group responsible for the CLT published a concordance report comparing their test to the SAT, concluding that both exams measure similar skills and cover comparable content. Per CNN, the College Board, which administers the SAT, conducted its research in July that revealed curriculum and standard differences between the two exams.

The College Board questioned the validity and predictiveness of college performance concerning the CLT, stating, "The SAT is a proven, valid predictor of college performance based on years of published and accessible research and data." CLT has not published evidence of college performance's validity or predictiveness.

Preliminary analysis also revealed that the two examinations did not assess math at the same grade level, with 25% of CLT questions falling below the high school level.

This decision to recognize the CLT in Florida is the most recent development in a dispute between Governor DeSantis and the College Board, which administers the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

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Florida's Education Landscape: AP Course Controversy and CLT's Preexisting Influence

The Florida Department of Education blocked a new AP course in African American studies earlier this year, prompting the College Board to make modifications in response to criticism. Before this recent vote, the CLT had already acquired traction in Florida's higher education system.

Springtime legislation authorized school districts to administrate the CLT and permitted its use in evaluating students for state scholarships.

Under the influence of DeSantis-appointed conservatives, the New College of Florida had already indicated its adoption of the CLT for college admissions.

New College's approach coincides with Governor DeSantis' efforts to reshape education in Florida by emphasizing what he calls "woke" indoctrination, making it an essential element of his agenda as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2024, as per Axios.

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