I am here to tout a policy that is supported by both policy and personal anecdote. 1/N brookings.edu/research/act-s…
Evidence shows requiring students take ACT/SAT for free during school hours, reveals many low-income, non-white, talented students. See links in article.
Similarly, universal testing for gifted/talented programs in K12 reveal tons of low-income, nonwhite children. Again, links in piece. 3/N
Now the anecdote.
When I was a junior in high school my Catholic school gave the PSAT. But it wasn't required. 4/N
When I was a junior in high school my Catholic school gave the PSAT. But it wasn't required. 4/N
I needed my tonsils out. My mom called the school to identify a day I could be absent and not miss anything important. 5/N
Sister Mary Carmelina (yes, I'm naming names bc I'm still mad & she is long dead) told my mom I could miss PSAT day. 6/N
So I skipped PSAT day. And I was not entered into the Nat'l Merit Scholars competition, which is based on PSAT scores. 7/N
No one viewed me as a prospect for a highly selective school. I was not on the honors track due to, ahem, attitude & behavior problems. 8/N
When I took the SAT senior year the school snapped to attention. Scores arrived on a weekend. On Monday every teacher in the building knew mine. 9/N
It was late in the game and I scrambled. I applied to fancy schools I had heard of. Harvard & MIT were down the street. Amy Carter went to Brown. 9/N
I got into Harvard with a great scholarship. But a different low-income kid in a different circumstances would have wound up in a community college or UMass Boston. 10/10
My takeaway from research and life:
ACT/SAT testing should be
-free
-during school hours
-in schools
-mandatory
11/10 END
ACT/SAT testing should be
-free
-during school hours
-in schools
-mandatory
11/10 END
