"The CLT is a classical alternative to the SAT and ACT, containing excerpts from classical and historical texts. Co-founder Jeremy Tate said he created the exam to “challenge the monopoly” of the College Board, which he called the “unelected gatekeeper of American education.” According to Tate, the CLT was not meant to be a “niche alternative” to other standardized tests, but to instead be a legitimate competitor. Now, states like Texas are making this a reality. . . .

With this change, Texas becomes one of several states that now accept the CLT for public university admissions. Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Oklahoma already accept the test as part of their public university systems. In total, more than 360 public and private colleges and universities accept the CLT as a standardized testing option.

Service academies also recently began accepting the CLT under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Hegseth directed the academies to accept the test, calling it the “gold standard.” Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., took this a step further and added an amendment requiring the service academies to accept the exam into the 2027 military budget. This would make it more difficult for future administrations to undo Hegseth’s decision.

Unlike its behemoth counterparts, the Classic Learning Test has not stopped testing because of COVID-19. Test participation actually has increased during the pandemic because the test can be remotely proctored online. The online prototype, piloted during the past year, preserves test integrity through time stamps and video recordings of each student testing.

Already popular among classical private and charter schools, the test is not limited to those students. As its website explains, “The classic in Classic Learning Test refers to its use of the greatest and most enduring texts that have informed and shaped society. Although these texts are featured prominently in a classical education, the CLT instead emphasizes intellectual aptitude and achievement, by no means limiting itself simply to a classical curriculum.”

In the previous academic year, the test served 21,000 students; and 170 institutions, such as Hillsdale College, Baylor University Honors College, and St. John’s College accept the test as a suitable measure of college readiness.

The Classic Learning Test prides itself on customer service. The test provides same-day test results and the organization submits test results to universities free of charge. Additionally, the test is shorter than the ACT and SAT.

The crucial difference between the Classic Learning Test and its peers is the test’s content. The impetus behind the project was to design a test more aligned with the curricula of many private and charter schools.

Jeremy Tate, the test’s chief executive officer, argues that district school curricula are aligned with the ACT and SAT, but private and charter school curricula are not. Accordingly, private and charter school students may be at a disadvantage when taking college entrance exams.

A new Article has been published on https://goo.gl/WeoJxl

Move Over SAT. There's a New Test in Town - The Classic Learning Test

The College Fix has picked up on the new alternative to the SAT: The Classic Learning Test (CLT). This test is NOT aligned with Common Core, like the SAT and every other test out there is. Halle-freaking-lujah.  Excerpt: The Classic Learning Test (CLT) debuted in June with a few...