TEST CASE

SAT and ACT Are Illegal in California Admissions, Lawsuit Claims

Argues that the tests are unconstitutional because they are biased and provide little meaningful information about a student’s ability to succeed.

A lawsuit expected to be filed Tuesday claims that the use of the SAT and ACT by the University of California system, which serves more than 250,000 students, is unconstitutional because the college entrance exams are deeply biased and provide little meaningful information about a student’s ability to succeed, according to a draft of the filing viewed by NPR. The pro bono firm Public Counsel is set to file the suit in California Superior Court on behalf of a collective of students and advocacy groups. Research in recent years has shown that SAT scores are strongly tied to family income and that high-school academic records are far better predictors of college success. “The evidence that we’re basing the lawsuit on is not in dispute,” said Mark Rosenbaum, an attorney at the firm. “What the SAT and ACT are doing are exacerbating inequities in the public school system and keeping out deserving students every admissions cycle.” Claire Doan, a University of California spokesperson, said a faculty task force is investigating the use of standardized testing in admissions. The system, said Doan, is “waiting for the assessment and recommendations” from the group before “determining whether any steps should be taken on this important issue.”