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Kansas committee weighs bill to remove ACT-specific language from statute, sparking debate over STEM measurement and procurement
Summary
A House committee heard testimony on House Bill 24-82 to replace vendor-specific references to ACT in Kansas law with neutral language allowing the State Board to select nationally recognized college- and career-readiness assessments; supporters say it preserves flexibility, opponents (ACT) warn it could weaken STEM and longitudinal measures.
A legislative panel heard competing views Thursday on House Bill 24-82, which would remove statutory references to the ACT and instead require state-provided assessments to be “a nationally recognized college readiness assessment” or an aligned pre-college test.
Revisor Meyer, who described the bill to the Committee on K-12 Education Budget, said the change would amend KSA provisions that currently name ACT products and replace those references with neutral language. He said the bill ‘‘would change that to remove those ACT references, and instead require those reports to include achievement information from a nationally recognized college readiness assessment, or associated preparatory assessment.’’ The bill, if enacted as written, would take effect on July 1, 2026, according to the revisor’s summary.
Supporters argued the change preserves state flexibility. Allison Smith of College Board, testifying as a proponent, told the committee the bill “strengthens Kansas assessment statute by replacing vendor specific language with…
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