The College Board has announced that it is preparing for at-home SAT tests due to the coronavirus lockdown. They also indicated that they were looking at ways to increase the number of students with access to the internet in order to ensure every student who needs the test is able to take it.
College Board CEO David Coleman has said that the Board will consider an at-home SAT tests if the coronavirus lockdowns continue. He said this during a press call, where he noted the anxiety in students, teachers, and parents about what will happen if schools are not reopened.
Board consideration of the at-home SAT tests
He said the Board was aware of these concerns and was looking into digital SAT tests. This will alleviate the problem colleges are anticipating to face during admissions due to disruptions by the coronavirus. Coleman, however, characterized the situation where the school will be on lockdown during the exam period as unlikely. The measures the Board had taken was to ensure that they will be able to administer the tests in a worst-case scenario.
The College Board officials said they were looking at ways to implement the at-home SAT tests securely. They indicated they were looking at solutions such as software that would lock other computer functionalities during the test. Camera and Microphone control of students’ computers to minimize their chances of cheating was also floated as a way to handle cheating in the exams.
Worst-case scenarios
Coleman stated that should they may be forced to administer the at-home SAT tests due to unavoidable circumstances. They were prepared to work with states and school districts to bridge the digital gap. They said they will be able to set up Wi-Fi hotspots in schools to allow students to have access to the internet.
The Board also stated they will wait for health officials’ advice on whether it will be safe to implement weekend SAT exams in schools starting from August. They also urged students to start applying for exams from may which scheduled to take place starting from August till the end of the year. The priority will be given to students who are likely to graduate in 2021 but do not have their SAT results yet.
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