Texas Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser is signaling a push to include the Classic Learning Test in public university admissions. This move comes despite a recent independent review suggesting the exam is less reliable than the SAT or ACT.
The debate over how to measure student readiness is intensifying in Texas. As state officials weigh the merits of traditional testing against newer, values-aligned alternatives, a significant gap has emerged between political objectives and academic research.
A 1.4 predictive score compared to the SAT's 4
The Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute recently released a review comparing the predictive power of various entrance exams. According to the report, the Classic Learning Test (CLT) earned a significantly lower score in predicting how students will perform in college:
- CLT: 1.4 out of 4
- ACT: 3.8 out of 4
- SAT: 4.0 out of 4
The researchers concluded that the CLT is currently less defensible and less ready for widespread use than these established alternatives.. The study highlighted a pressing need for more research before the exam can be relid upon in the same manner as the SAT or ACT.
The 2028 timeline for formal CLT adoption
Commissioner Wynn Rosser has signaled that the state intends to move forward with a formal rollout of the CLT by fall 2028. As reported by the source, Rosser clarified in a letter to campus leaders that universities are already permitted to consider CLT scores for applicants who do not qualify for automatic admission via the top-10% rule.
While the state's official rules still recognize only the SAT and ACT, this interim guidance sets the stage for the CLT to become a standard option for home-schooled, private school, and out-of-state students. This transition marks a significant shift in how Texas public universities may evaluate non-traditional applicants.
Aligning testing with Texas social studies standards
The movement to integrate the CLT into Texas admissions is closely tied to state-level educational standards and political shifts. Proponents, including Republican nominee for attorney general Todd Smith, have expressed concerns regarding the rigor and potential bias of the SAT and ACT. Smith has advocated for alternative testing options to provide students with more choices.
The CLT is designed to align with new Texas social studies standards and state book lists by utilizing longer reading passages from historical and philosophical works. unlike the SAT and ACT, which allow calculators and use contemporary passages, the CLT emphasizes classical literature and prohibits calculator use.
The dispute over excluded non-Texas data
The disute over excluded non-Texas data leaves several questions about the validity of the recent research. CLT representatives have argued that the Texas A&M Public Policy Research Institute's findings are skewed because the study ignored evidence from outside of Texas.
This raises the question of whether the CLT's low predictive score is a result of the test's inherent desiggn or simply a lack of sufficient local data.. Furthermore, it remains unclear how the state will address the gap between the current research findings and the planned 2028 implementation.
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