SAT to Replace SBAC Exam for 11th Graders

High school juniors will be taking the SAT rather than the 11th grade Smarter Balance Assessment, or SBAC exam, as of next fall, according to the governor’s office.

Last fall, Gov. Dannel Malloy requested federal approval to waive the SBAC exam to cut down on the amount of standardized testing public high school students have to take and it was approved today, according to the governor’s office.

As of fall of the 2015-2016 school-year, the SAT will be used instead of the SBAC. The test, which usually costs more than $50 will be free for all Connecticut students.

“While exams that test college readiness are essential to helping us gauge where we are as a state and help guide instruction, we are doing our part to mitigate over-testing – a common concern among parents. There’s a balance to be struck, and we’re working to reach it,” Malloy said in a statement. “We know individualized teaching and instruction works, and we know that student-by-student data can help. But that doesn’t mean we should be overburdening our kids. That’s why we first devised this idea and submitted this waiver last fall, and that’s why we’re so thrilled to be able to deliver for families across Connecticut today.”

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