S173

An Act concerning admission to certain institutions of higher education and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. Even under normal circumstances, applying to college is a stressful time for high school students. In addition to combining grades, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and personal essays into distinctive applications, high school students often experience high levels of anxiety preparing for and taking the SAT or ACT test, which are often required for admission to an institution of higher education.

b. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor issued a series of executive orders to declare a public health emergency and order the closure of all kindergarten through grade 12 public, private, and parochial schools in the State for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, and for much of the 2020-2021 school year.

c. Although the students and teachers of this State worked tirelessly and did a laudable job to complete the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years through remote instruction, the realities of virtual education limited the academic development of many students, especially those who lacked access to online instruction equipment.

d. Given the dire national economic circumstances currently plaguing the nation, wealthier students whose families can afford expensive prep exams, courses, and test coaches have a distinct advantage taking the SAT or ACT test over the many students whose families are experiencing financial hardship.

e. On May 21, 2020, leaders of the University of California system voted to phase out the SAT and ACT as an admissions requirement over the next four years. Subsequently, many colleges and universities have decided to follow the lead taken by California’s university system.

f. Due to many concerns, including the limitations of virtual instruction and the discrepancy in academic outcomes between students from higher income families and students whose families are experiencing financial hardship, institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions should adopt a test-optional policy for any standardized test, including the SAT and ACT, used to determine an applicant’s admission to the institution.

2. a. The governing board of each public institution of higher education shall adopt a test-optional admissions policy that allows for, but does not require, the submission of standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, in a student’s application to an undergraduate program of the institution.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section, a public institution of higher education may utilize a standardized testing requirement to determine admission to the institution for an undergraduate program for any applicant who:

(1) received equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school pursuant to N.J.S.18A:38-25 for two or more years during the grades nine through 12;

(2) is applying to an honors or specialized program of the institution; or

(3) is applying for any State student grants and scholarships, federal student grants and scholarships, or institutional merit-based grants or scholarships, for which standardized test scores are required.

c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a public institution of higher education from considering an applicant’s standardized test scores to determine admission to an undergraduate program for an applicant who voluntarily submits the test scores for consideration.

d. The independent institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions are encouraged to adopt a test-optional admissions policy that allows for, but does not require, the submission of standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, in a student’s application to an undergraduate program of the institution.

3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first be applicable to the first full academic year next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt a test-optional admissions policy that allows for, but does not require, the submission of standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, in a student’s application to an undergraduate program of the institution.

Under the bill, a public institution of higher education is authorized to utilize a standardized testing requirement to determine admission to the institution for an undergraduate program for any applicant who:

· received equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school for two or more years during the grades nine through 12;

· is applying to an honors or specialized program of the institution; or

· is applying for any State student grants and scholarships, federal student grants and scholarships, or institutional merit-based grants or scholarships, for which standardized test scores are required.

The bill specifies that its provisions do not prohibit a public institution of higher education from considering an applicant’s standardized test scores to determine admission to an undergraduate program for an applicant who voluntarily submits the test scores for consideration.

The bill encourages independent institutions of higher education and degree-granting proprietary institutions to similarly adopt a test-optional admissions policy that allows for, but does not require, the submission of standardized tests, including the SAT and ACT, in a student’s application to an undergraduate program of the institution.