What's happening
The bill exempts the ACT college entrance exam from certain state requirements if ACT, Inc. discloses at least three test forms each year in New York.
Why it matters
Increases transparency for students and educators. by requiring ACT, Inc. to disclose at least three versions of the test each year, providing valuable insight into test content and structure.
Potentially streamlines college entrance exam administration. in New York, as the ACT would not have to comply with certain state-specific requirements that might otherwise limit its availability or change its format.
Could impact test preparation and fairness. by ensuring more public access to actual test forms, helping students and educators better understand the exam and potentially reduce inequities in test prep resources.
May encourage other testing organizations. to offer greater disclosure of test materials in exchange for regulatory flexibility, influencing broader standardized testing policies in New York.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Disclose ACT Test Forms
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Print number 5272b
- Amend and recommit to education
- Referred to education
- Print number 5272a
- Amend and recommit to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require ACT Test Disclosure
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor William Magnarelli
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5272--B
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 20, 2017
Introduced by Sen. DeFRANCISCO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the ACT college entrance examination
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 10 of section 342 of the education law is amended by adding a new paragraph h to read as follows:
h. Subdivisions one, two, three, four and six of this section shall not apply to the ACT college entrance examination during the two thousand nineteen test year or any subsequent test year, so long as ACT, Inc. discloses in each such test year no less than three test forms used to administer the ACT college entrance examination in New York in such test year.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10325-05-8
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the ACT college entrance examination
Purpose
To provide flexibility for the ACT college entrance test to be offered on seven occasions versus the current five.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Creates new subsection (h) of Section 342(10) of the Educa- tion Law to exempt the ACT from subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.
Section 2: Establishes the effective date.
Justification
Current State law requires that standardized testing companies make regular disclosures of test contents to the State Education Department. This includes: a) a copy of all test questions used in a test adminis- tration, b) the corresponding acceptable answers to those questions, and c) all rules for converting raw scores into the scores reported to the test subject. Documents submitted to the Commissioner are considered public records for disclosure. The required disclosure impacts how many test dates a company may offer a year.
Due to the current disclosure schedule, the ACT may only be offered on five dates throughout the year. However, ACT, Inc. would like to offer two additional testing dates in February and July. This would provide additional flexibly for college bound high school students to take the exam. To offer the additional dates, ACT, Inc. requests an exemption from Education Law § 342, subdivisions one, two, three, four and six. It is an exemption currently provided to the SAT I test. It will allow ACT, Inc. to offer the additional test dates, while still complying with State disclosure requirements.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.