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Senate adopts amendment narrowing 'college-ready' definition in school grading law
Summary
The Senate approved an amendment to SB209 that defines 'college ready' by ACT subject-area benchmarks rather than a composite score; sponsors said the change provides greater precision for school grading and allows the State Board of Regents to set thresholds.
On third reading the Senate adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 209 to change how the bill defines "college ready" for school grading purposes. The amendment replaces a composite ACT threshold with a requirement that a student meet the college-readiness benchmark in each ACT subject area.
Senator Eckhart, who offered the amendment, said it "puts more precision to what it means to be college ready," explaining that a composite score can mask weaknesses in specific subject areas. The amendment's text says, in part, that "A student is considered college ready if the student's score in each subject area on the ACT is at or above the college readiness benchmark as defined by the ACT." The State Board of Regents may adopt higher subject-area thresholds by rule for school grading purposes.
Senator Adams, sponsor of SB209, said the change had been discussed in the working group and that while there was a prior consensus around a composite score, many stakeholders urged subject-area clarity.
After debate and the adopted amendment, the Senate passed SB209 for transmittal to the House. The clerk recorded the third-reading result as 19 yeas, 8 nays and 2 absent when the bill passed the chamber.
Supporters described the amendment as a response to technical concerns from educators about what measures reliably indicate college readiness; supporters and critics agreed further work would be needed with higher education to set precise subject thresholds.
