NEW YORK – Chancellor Fariña today announced that New York City will offer the SAT exam free of charge to all students during the school day in the spring of their high school junior year, starting in the 2016-17 school year.
By expanding opportunity to all New York City high school students, the new SAT School Day initiative will address disparities among students preparing for and taking critical college access exams and builds on the success of New York City’s PSAT School Day, which began in 2007 and has led to a nearly threefold increase in the number of students taking that exam. SAT School Day is a critical part of College Access for All, a citywide initiative to ensure equity and excellence in college access and planning opportunities for all students.
The new SAT School Day removes a number of barriers to SAT participation for students: individually registering for the test; requesting a fee waiver; traveling to an unfamiliar location; and having to take the test on a Saturday, when students and families may have other obligations. Incorporating the SAT as a school activity also promotes a strong college-going culture, encouraging students to think about college planning and college admissions assessments throughout their high school career.
I wonder if it will be the version with or without writing? Our state-administered ACT is without writing, and that requires students to re-take the exam if they’re applying to any schools that require the essay component.
As a New York City teacher and parent, I think this is a great step. This Chancellor seems to have a better sense of the needs of students and teachers.
Connecticut is supposed to be starting a free SAT for all juniors this year (spring 2016) but to my knowledge there hasn’t yet been any release of specific information regarding exactly WHEN it will be, whether w/without writing, etc.
The CT State Board of Ed got permission from the federal Ed Dept to give the SAT in lieu of the 11th grade Common Core requirement. Their case was at least partly based on the idea that juniors are already heavily tested (SAT, ACT, AP exams) and adding another assessment test is a hardship. So the SAT will count as the federally-required ‘assessment’. I’m sure the CB is loving this, especially given that the ACT has been gaining in popularity…