Florida Embraces ‘Classic Learning Test’ in Higher Education Admissions

A student looks at questions during a college test preparation class at Holton Arms School in Bethesda, Md., on Jan. 17, 2016. Alex Brandon/AP Photo

Florida’s university system has given the green light for public colleges to use the Classic Learning Test (CLT) in admissions, allowing an exam touted by conservatives as reinforcing Western ideals and seen as a pushback against leftist undermining of educational standards.

The CLT assessment, an alternative to college entry exams such as the SAT and ACT, has grown in popularity among homeschooled students and has been widely accepted by Christian schools for some time.

But now, the CLT—which is backed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis—has been elevated for use in the state’s public colleges and universities by way of a Sept. 8 vote of the board of governors of the State University System of Florida.

“Because we reject the status quo, today’s decision means we are better serving students by giving them an opportunity to showcase their academic potential and paving the path to higher education,” the system said in a statement on Sept. 8.

Florida’s state university system is the second-largest public university system in the United States, with 12 universities and more than 430,000 students.

“The CLT places a strong emphasis on classical education, which includes a focus on reading, writing, and critical thinking skills,” the system said in a statement. “It is designed to align with a classical liberal arts curriculum, which some educators and institutions believe provides a more well-rounded and meaningful education.”

Founded in 2015 by former high school English teacher Jeremy Tate, the CLT assessment’s classical education model focuses on standardized tests that are “rooted in tradition” while seeking to be a “catalyst for renewal in education nationwide,” according to the CLT website.

More than 200 colleges and universities nationwide currently accept the CLT as an alternative to the SAT and ACT for admissions.

In a concordance study (pdf) that compares SAT scores with CLT scores, the authors described the CLT as aiming to provide “an assessment that is intellectually richer than other college entrance exams, with the end goal of promoting a classical curriculum that forms individuals who are ‘intellectually curious, think deeply, reason well, and live with integrity.’”

Mr. DeSantis, who has spearheaded educational reform in Florida, signed a cluster of education bills in May 2023 that included making Florida the first state in the nation to formally allow students to use the CLT as an alternative to the SAT and ACT for determining eligibility for a statewide college scholarship program.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit in Philadelphia on June 30, 2023. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

‘Huge Milestone’

Mr. Tate, who now serves as CEO of the CLT, said in an open letter obtained by The Epoch Times that his work to develop the exam was driven by his classroom experiences teaching English, in particular with students who were failing and had experienced years of boredom in school working with texts sanitized in line with the latest “woke” educational trends that seek to shield students from anything potentially distressing.

In an interview with Fox News on Sept. 8, Mr. Tate called that day’s decision by Florida’s state university system a “huge milestone.”

“I’ve been so impressed with the folks in Florida; their commitment to excellence in education has been incredible,” he told the outlet.

CLT founder and CEO Jeremy Tate, in an undated photo. Courtesy of Jeremy Tate

Mr. Tate said that SAT and ACT sensitivity committees have “dumbed down” the tests so that students don’t get distressed reading them.

“The idea there is that if a kid reads anything distressing or upsetting, then they’re not going to get an accurate score,” he said. “And it’s gotten so ridiculous that they don’t end up putting anything of meaning or substance in front of students.”

Not all of the board members of the Florida State University System backed the CLT approval.

University of Florida professor Amanda Phalin, as the sole objector, said that she didn’t oppose the CLT in principle but merely “the use of it at this time” because of a lack of empirical evidence showing that it’s of the same quality as the SAT and the ACT.

“I’m simply concerned because the test’s reliability and validity have not been independently demonstrated or verified,” she said during the meeting.

The College Board, a nonprofit organization that develops and administers standardized tests and curricula used by K-12 and post-secondary education institutions, has recognized the role the CLT can play in a “diverse educational landscape” but has found flaws with the concordance study that meant to compare students’ scores on the CLT with ones on the SAT.

“The SAT is a proven, valid predictor of college performance, based on years of published and accessible research and data,” according to a “fact sheet” on SAT and CLT comparability posted on the College Board website.

“CLT has not published evidence of validity or predictiveness of college performance,” the College Board stated.

Officials at CLT didn’t respond by press time to a request for comment on the College Board’s objections.