https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180807005834/en/Students-Disabilities-File-Class-Action-ACT-Test
This is incredibly frustrating. I mentioned in a thread a while back that I noticed the ACT was including test location on the score report, thereby notifying colleges when a student takes a test at school (ie with accommodations). I called the ACT and asked them if they were aware of this, and they said they were made aware of it a year ago and stopped this notation on the ACT report.
I also asked if there was any other way a college could be made aware of learning disabilities. They said no. I guess they were wrong.
While the ACT may provide an explanation to students regarding the use of the information, we have to remember these are often minors. Here is the language used by the ACT prior to the students filling out the student profile section:
“Be sure the information you provide is as accurate as possible because it will be used in various ways. For example, a college may use your ACT information as your application for admission; the information will become part of your basic record at the college. Some scholarship programs may need your answers to certain SPS questions in order to consider you for an award
Although you may skip any question that you do not wish to answer, we can provide colleges with your most complete profile only if you answer every question and provide updates each time you register.”
While the students are told they need not fill out the SPS, the scholarship/ other language is misleading and confusing. Some students may worry they will not be considered for scholarships or their files will be less complete if they don’t fill it out. My son said when he took the test, the proctor told him he had to fill it out.
Whether or not my son discloses his LD’s should be his decision.
If I were a parent with a kid who got denied accommodations by the ACT, yet the ACT disclosed the LDs to the colleges allowing the inference of accommodations, I would be beyond livid. I’m still pretty ticked off and my son did get ACT accommodations.
Wonder if the CB is doing the same?
My daughter recently updated her CB profile, and I don’t recall there being any LD questions. I find it particularly troubling that ACT would disclose such information on students without accommodations. One could argue they have a right to disclose if they have given accommodations, but if they do that they should be upfront about it - we’re willing to provide accommodations, but they will be disclosed as part of your score report. At that point students can then choose whether to accept accommodations of not, and whether to take the SAT with accommodations instead, if they don’t disclose. It’s also problematic given the number of states now using the ACT and SAT to replace existing state testing. At least 5 states require students to take the ACT, and if registration is anything like the way my daughter registered for PSAT 8/9, and presumably will register for the SAT when she takes it in school (it is now our state test), there is NO parental involvement.
^and not all accommodations are for additional time. My son gets the use of a computer. Some students accommodations may be due to physical disabilities or health issues.
Flagging the test results with no further explanation leads to conclusions that may not be appropriate.
Can’t believe the ACT didn’t know about this. There is also many parents on the ACT sub fuming over their policies on cancelling test scores for students who improve considerably.
They are sharing a lot of information I bet most people do know realize. If you look at the repost sent to schools, all,of those pages of filtering questions that they wade through when trying to register for the ACT are synthesized down into the report. Definitely not just scores!
Location of college/size preferences, maximum tuition costs, parental education, language spoken at home, major interest and interest-major fit, high school activitiies, plans on continuing activities in college, etc are all being sent to to schools in the ACT report.
One of my kids has an accommodation to bring her blood glucose meter and pump into the test center with extra breaks as needed to test and treat blood sugar.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek Yes! These companies are sharing (and selling) highly detailed data and student profiles. ACT has historically sold this data to colleges and just purchased another one of the largest purveyors of this data, NRCCUA
https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2018/07/25/act-acquires-nrccua
College enrollment departments buy student names/profiles and run the data thru their own predictive models. These models are unique to each institution and focus on the student variables important to a given college. The schools use the output for admissions decisions and yield management (among other things), basically the modeling predicts which students are likely to accept their offer of admission, graduate, etc. Many, many schools use this type of data analysis, from the most selective to colleges without a national presence. This is one reason admission decisions can seem surprising, and why some schools might turn away a seemingly strong candidate. Everything from a northeast private rejecting a student with an ACT of 35 from Texas, or a Florida school rejecting a kid because they answered no to a question somewhere that asked if they want to study in the southeast.
@Mwfan1921 Wow. I fell incredibly stupid in not fully understanding the scope of data being sent to schools.
My daughter’s HS instructed the kids not to fill out the optional demographic questions.
Just so I understand, suppose a student took the ACT as required by the school but chose not to submit the score. Colleges are nonetheless receiving non-score data about that specific student that is then connected to the specific student’s app and can impact the admission decision? What??
@evergreen5 Yes. Even if a student doesn’t send a score to a college, colleges can buy lists of emails and/or other identifying info associated with whatever data is important to them. So, if for example, they to want to attract students with higher test scores, they buy that info (emails, other identifying info) for students with say, ACT >30 and send out the emails with a code with an application fee waiver. Note that the data might not necessarily have each student’s specific score, but the student’s contact info would be in the results satisfying the search criteria. Google college admissions and predictive analytics—tons of examples on how colleges use this data.
@momofsenior1 I love that your school did that and am going to follow up with my kids’ GCs and ask the same.
Just to be clear, there are two ways the ACT (and College Board) get this information. First, when the student signs up to take the test, and secondly on the test day before starting the test. Instruct your kids to not fill out this information either time. Make sure they understand that the information can be used in analytics against them. The only ones that benefit from this information are the schools and the ACT/CB.
States that require all students to take the ACT with Writing
Alabama
Montana
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Utah
Wisconsin
States that require all students to take the ACT (no writing)
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Nebraska
Wyoming
States with other arrangements
Arkansas — offered but not required, no writing
Hawaii — offered but not required, with writing
Minnesota — SAT or ACT offered
Missouri — determined by district
Ohio — SAT or ACT required; district determines which test
Oklahoma — SAT with essay or ACT with writing required; district determines which test
South Carolina — SAT or ACT required
Tennessee — SAT or ACT required
Credit: Prep Scholar Blog
And one more thing, organizations like NRCCUA get data from many more sources than just ACT and College Board as well. Maybe this ACT lawsuit will result in a treasure trove of data becoming publically available, similar to the ongoing Harvard lawsuit.
https://truthinamericaneducation.com/privacy-issues-state-longitudinal-data-systems/act-sued-by-disabled-students-over-release-of-personal-information/
Everyone should read this article! The ACT is being sued for releasing our kids’ disability status and accommodation information ON THE SCORE REPORTS SENT TO COLLEGES and SELLING personal disability and accommodation information to colleges. They get this information from questions our kids answer when registering for the ACT and again when they are answering questions on the day of the test. I have always understood that this information would remain completely confidential and would never be shared with colleges! Outrageous!!
Even if they say they do NOT want their information shared, it is still being shared with colleges. The score reports colleges get look completely different than what we see!!
https://truthinamericaneducation.com/privacy-issues-state-longitudinal-data-systems/act-sued-by-disabled-students-over-release-of-personal-information/
Everyone should read this article! The ACT is being sued for releasing our kids’ disability status and accommodation information ON THE SCORE REPORTS SENT TO COLLEGES and SELLING personal disability and accommodation information to colleges. They get this information from questions our kids answer when registering for the ACT and again when they are answering questions on the day of the test. I have always understood that this information would remain completely confidential and would never be shared with colleges! Outrageous!!
Even if they say they do NOT want their information shared, it is still being shared with colleges. The score reports colleges get look completely different than what we see!!
^yes, the article posted in my original post details this. Thanks for posting the legal complaint.
I have to say that I was speculating as to why my younger son has received far fewer mailings/emails from colleges. Both had the same ACT score, similar gpa. The only differences are the high school (private/Catholic vs. small independent) and that my younger son has LD’s which he reported on the ACT Student Profile.
I did learn today that one can go online and delete all of these answers from the profile. I’m not sure if these amended profiles will then be on the college reports for this year. I plan to call ACT on Monday to determine and demand that I see a copy of the report that will be sent to colleges.
Frankly, I think anyone affected by this should call ACT and give them your thoughts on this. (Call to speak with an ACT representative at (319) 337-1332) This is a flagrant violation of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Wow! Really? I would love to see an article about this, if you can find one. This is terrifying! Thanks so much for posting.
