NCAA RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Summary of Recommendations

ITEM OF INFORMATION

ISSUE:		Changes to the SAT I and ACT tests.
Committee Action:
	SAT I. Beginning in March of 2005 the SAT I will be changed in significant ways. The new test will evaluate mathematical problem solving, reading for understanding and writing using standard written English. Specific changes to the verbal and math sections include: 1) items from Algebra II will be added to the math section and quantitative comparisons will be eliminated; 2) more reading passages will be included with the existing long reading passages in the verbal section and this section will be renamed critical reading, and 3) the analogies in this section will be dropped, while the sentence-completion questions will remain. The most significant change to the SAT will be the addition of a mandatory writing section, including both multiple-choice items and a student-written essay. All sections of the test will be scored using the 200-to-800 scale for the math and verbal sections. Each student also will receive a third score for the writing section of the test, making a total score of 2400 possible. ACT. Beginning in February of 2005 ACT will offer postsecondary institutions and students a choice of taking the ACT Assessment with our without a writing component (unlike the SAT-I, where the writing component will be required of all test takers). More specifically, students can continue to take only the four traditional ACT tests (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science) or, students can take the four traditional ACT tests, plus the 30-minute writing test, which will be administered last in the sequence. Students who choose to take the writing test will be charged an additional fee, which has yet to be determined. Research Committee Recommendations. After learning of the changes to the SAT I and ACT, the Research Committee recommended that the research staff work collaboratively with the two testing companies on interpretation of their current validity research as it relates to the student-athlete population and develop additional collaborative studies as necessary. The committee recommends that funding be obtained to use for research (separate from any conducted by the testing companies) on how the changes to both tests will affect student-athletes.
Management Council Action:
	Accepted the information.