The ACT is appealing Michigan’s decision to switch its eleventh grade standardized test to the SAT.
The state gives high school juniors a free college entrance exam as part of their state assessment.
The ACT claims the state’s bidding process unfairly favored the SAT. For example, it said ACT lost points because it includes a writing portion.
State officials say they made an extra effort to make sure the bidding process was fair.
“This was a little bit unique because we knew of the magnitude of this, what it means to students throughout the state and educators as well,” said Caleb Buhs, a spokesperson for the state budget office.
Buhs says a panel of state and outside education experts decided SAT was both a better test and more affordable.
“It was a unanimous decision by that committee to make that selection, but we will review all the claims made by ACT and see if there’s any validity to them.”
He says a group of officials not involved in the initial bidding process will review ACT’s complaint. The process is expected to take about ten days.
