College Board Rant

In this episode I share my rant about the College, the SAT and the standardized testing industry. We learned so much from Akil Bello and Jon Boeckenstedt in the Myth Busters episode, so it is amazing to me that many colleges and universities still hold on to the SAT and ACT in admissions. My Rant will get into this issue and add more fuel to the fire.

Transcript

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hi everyone. This is LRTs Oakley. Welcome back to the rant. The podcast where we pull back the curtain and break down the people, the policies and the politics of our higher education system. The last few episodes we dug into the high stakes standardized testing industry. We talked specifically about the sat and the act in college admissions. And how that's hurting students. And we also got into the college board as an organization. I want to thank my special guests, Akil Bello of the national center for fair and open testing. John Boak instead. From Oregon state university. And Michelle Rose from the campaign for college opportunities. For helping us get behind the curtain and understanding what's really going on in the high stakes, standardized testing industry and what it means to college admissions and what it means to regular. People across this country. So now, let me give you my take. We've talked a lot about the standardized testing industry. And to me, this is an issue that's become very personal. In my roles at the community colleges here in California. I see every day, the struggles that students face in trying to navigate higher education. And the myriad of barriers that we place in front of them. Particularly those students that are under resource that are older working learners, we put a Marriott obstacles in their way. And the standardized testing industry has created huge financial and, mental barriers in front of them. And the college board has played a critical role in creating that narrative. Now for those of you who aren't too familiar with the college board, the college board was founded. In 1899, it was originally called the college entrance examination board. So that gives you an idea. Of their roots. They were founded by a handful of very selective, private colleges at the time. And there was a notion that we needed a different way of admitting students. Who were not being admitted because of their legacy. Of their parents and grandparents attending those colleges and universities. So one could say that there was some altruism. Behind what they were trying to do. Fast forward to today, the college board is a nonprofit organization. A nonprofit organization that administers a myriad of tests and products. Aimed measuring. College readiness. It administers such tests as the sat. The PSA T. Accuplacer. Advanced placement courses and tests, as well as the clap and many other. Tests and other products and tools that are marketed and sold to K-12 schools. It counts itself as a membership organization, a membership organization made up of around 6,000 members. And these are. Schools, K-12 districts, colleges, universities throughout the country. And it's interesting to me because. When I was chancellor of the California community colleges, 116 colleges serving nearly 2 million students, we were and are. The largest system of higher education in the country. So presumably. We're the largest member. Of the college board. But never once. Did my comments, criticisms concerns, recommendations. Ever make their way. To that membership organization, nor did I ever, ever get any feedback from the membership organization. That our colleges belong to. But having said all that, let's get back to the issue. So it counts itself as a membership organization. And a nonprofit organization. In 2019. College board. Posted revenues. Well, north of$1 billion. In 2020 it's CEO. Earn more than$2 million and its president. Earn more than$1 million. Again, this is a nonprofit organization. And it has been criticized many times by many organizations. That it is violating its nonprofit status. Not withstanding that it still considers itself as a service organization. To education. So let's take that for what it's worth. The college board has created a near monopoly around college admissions. Let's think about is take a step back. We know that it created and administers the sat. The sat, which is been, a narrative created around that as the test to get into your college and university of your choice, college and university, that your parents inspire you to go to. And so nearly every student in, in high school has to take the sat. And so revenue is generated from that test taking. Not to mention all the test prep that goes into it. And the test prep industry that has grown around this admissions exam, this high stakes admissions exam. But not only do they do that. But they also market and sell products. And services to schools in K-12 districts throughout the country. Selling them products. Telling them that this will help their students. Prepare for and do well on the sat. Helps track students on how well they're doing to become college. Ready. In the narrative of the college board. And so this narrative that they've created around the sat, they now push into K-12 districts. They now push into the minds of parents and families. To ensure that their school district offers these programs. Offers these. Tess offers these tools to help their students prepare to do well on the sat. And if that isn't enough. It creates and builds on the narrative that even if you do well on the sat. You still have to be more competitive to get into the highly rejective university. That you want to go to? So we create, we, the college board have created. Advanced placement. The courses. And nonprofit organization creating curriculum. For the countries K-12 districts. And then selling it. As. Ultra rigorous. And. Selling the tests that you have to take. In order to pass this AP course. So, again, it is created this near monopoly around what it means to be college ready. And we know that because they spend tremendous amount of money. Um, advertising. And marketing. Every time you pick up your phone, you see ads. Every time you look at your social media, you see ads from the college board. So. Where do we go from here? Now that the college board has dug itself so deep into the education landscape. Become. So large, so influential, where do we go from here? I see only two places to go. Either. The board members who oversee the college board itself, educators, people who do care about students. Move that organization in a direction where it truly centers students and not profits. Then, and only then can we begin to see a way forward? There was tremendous amount of talent in the people at the college board. There is no reason why it can't turn that talent loose on truly better. Preparing students to succeed in college, truly assessing their pathway. To being college ready? And ending the use of high stakes, standardized testing. And. Putting a big dent. In the test prep industry. The college board has the means to do that. If it would only make that choice. If it doesn't make that choice. Then I think federal. regulators. State attorney generals. Parents policy makers. People who care about the future of education in this country need to step forward and start promulgating the changes. Not only in regulation, perhaps in law that need to happen. Perhaps even forcing the college board away from its. Nonprofit status and making it more transparent and it's profit making mode. But by also changing the culture. My guest Akil Bello mentioned this in his comments. We need to stop asking the question of where did you go to school as if that's a marker of the kind of person that you are. Yes, there are certainly places that you can go and have access to greater resources, greater networks, but that doesn't make you any better. Or less. Than any other student. So we have to change the narrative ourself. As a product of the community colleges, as somebody who worked in the community colleges for years, I see tremendous talent. Every time I walked onto a community college campus. We need to value that talent as much as we value the talent. In a small liberal arts, highly rejective college and university. So that's my rant for today. Let's work together to change the direction of the college board. Let's end the narratives that have been fostered all these years. And let's put an N. To high stakes, standardized testing in college admissions. Thank you for joining me on the rent. The next few episodes. Are coming up soon. There'll be about the department of education's recent changes to the definition of third-party servicer. And the changes to the dear colleague letter regarding bundle services. This will be a great series of episodes. I have some great guests coming, so stay tuned. And thanks for joining me on the rent.