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The State of Illinois Returns to the ACT

News

After several months of rumors that the state of Illinois would not renew its contract with College Board and switch its state-mandated test to the ACT, Illinois is indeed reverting back to the ACT.

Since 2016, Illinois students have been taking the SAT (and as of March 2024, the new digital SAT) and it is the standardized test that teachers have been teaching to. However, beginning this fall (2024-2025 school year) teachers will have to once again change gears.

The decision is likely to be a controversial one, especially among teachers, but in a statement from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) they cite cost as a major deciding factor.

While both ACT and SAT assess the same general content—grammatical, rhetorical, mathematical, and analytical skills—there are key differences between the two tests. The ACT is longer, has more questions, and has a faster pace than the SAT. The ACT also features long passages and a separate Science section (the SAT has very short passages and no Science section).

The good news? Academic Approach has never stopped teaching the ACT, and with 20+ years of experience we know this test backwards and forwards. We’ve supported Illinois students and teachers through major testing changes in 2005 and 2016, and this time will be no different.

Want to schedule some ACT professional development sessions for your teachers? Unsure how to re-adapt your curriculum to align with ACT standards? Call us today. Our School Programs team is ready to answer any quesitons you may have.

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