ACT Ends Flagging Tests of Disabled
The
maker of the ACT college entrance test followed the lead of its
rival Friday, and announced that the scores of disabled students
who need extra time to take the ACT exam will no longer be
specially marked.
by Arlene Levinson, Associated Press/Yahoo!
News Online, July 26, 2002
The nonprofit ACT Inc. in Iowa City, Iowa, said it
will end the practice — known as flagging — starting with tests
taken Sept. 27, 2003. At present, disabled students getting extra
time for the 2-hour, 55-minute exam have "special" noted on their
test scores when they are sent to colleges.
Among an estimated 2 million ACTs taken in the
school year that ended in June, about 30,000 were completed by
students who got extra time, said ACT spokesman Ken Gullette.
"Our decision to stop flagging scores comes after
a thorough review," Richard Ferguson, chief executive officer of
ACT, said in a prepared statement.
Last week, the New York-based College Board said
it would end flagging of its SAT college entrance exam, SAT II
subject tests, PSAT tests and Advanced Placement exams as of October
2003.
Among 2.6 million SATs taken during the school
year that ended in June, 51,700 were completed by people who had
been granted special accommodation.
The College Board's action averted a possible
lawsuit by Disability Rights Advocates, a nonprofit law firm in
Oakland, Calif. The group argued flagging violates federal law, and
said last week it would be looking at other test companies,
including ACT.
Gullette said ACT had been watching the lawsuit
developments and was changing its policy to align with the new
industry standard.
ACT also develops the LSAT, required for law
school admission, and the MCAT to enter medical school. Professional
organizations oversee those tests, which currently are flagged.
The Law School Admission Council has determined
it's legal to flag scores and will continue to do so for now, said
Philip Shelton, president of the council. The Association of
American Medical Colleges is now actively reviewing its flagging
policy, said spokeswoman Retha Sherrod.
Students are granted extra time after producing
documented proof they need it. Ferguson acknowledged the new policy
might result in more requests — and some without merit — but said
that steps already being taken by ACT will continue "to ensure that
only those students with legitimate needs are granted additional
time."