Ohio students now entering the ninth grade will be able to take the SAT or ACT for free, courtesy of the taxpayers of Ohio, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Richard A Ross
The Ohio Department of Education, under the leadership of State Superintendent Richard A Ross, has also announced new graduation requirements for the Class of 2018, beginning with changes this school year, as those students enter high school.
As ODE phases out the Ohio Graduation Tests, students will still have to pass a certain number of units in core courses, including English, math, financial literacy, science, and social studies. They’ll also have to achieve a cumulative passing score on seven end-of-course exams: algebra I and geometry (or integrated math 1 and 2), physical science, American history, American government, and English 1 and 2.
A “remediation-free” certification on either the SAT or ACT can be used as a substitute for the end-of-course graduation requirement, as can a certificate of employability based on a score on a job skills assessment.
So, when this year’s ninth graders reach 11th grade, they can take the ACT or SAT on the taxpayer’s bill, as ODE will pay for them to take the standardized college admissions tests: $38 for the ACT or $54.50 with the writing assessment, and $52.50 for the SAT.
