Assembly Bill 1951, by Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell (D–Long Beach) to provide access to college admissions tests such as the SAT or ACT during the school day, passed the Assembly Tuesday and now awaits referral to its first Senate policy committee.
AB 1951, The Pathways to College Act, would allow school districts to offer college admissions exams in lieu of the state-required 11th-grade assessment. The Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) currently offers the SAT during school to 11th-graders free of charge and has seen significant student success, according to O’Donnell’s office.
“AB 1951 is about opening the door to higher education for all California students,” O’Donnell said. “As a parent and a teacher, I understand the importance of local choice and flexibility to offer assessments that provide the most college and career benefits to every student, no matter where they are from or how much their parents make. I am grateful for the overwhelming support we have received for this bill, and I especially want to thank LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser for his leadership and support of this effort.”
AB 1951 has the support of a diverse coalition of school districts, superintendents, school board members, teachers and students, according to O’Donnell’s office, which also said a dozen other states use or plan to use a college admissions test to meet state and federal accountability requirements.
Source: O’Donnell’s office
