Arr, ye come across a test that'll ignite a mighty counterrevolution in the realm of learnin'!
2023-10-12
Arr, me mateys! This very year, Florida be embracin' the Classic Learnin' Test (CLT) as a grand alternative to SAT and ACT, by Blackbeard's breeches! 'Tis the cure we be seekin' to save our sinkin' education system, ye scurvy dogs!
The adoption of the Classic Learning Test (CLT) in Florida as an alternative to the SAT and ACT is a sign that the Woke Revolution in education is in retreat. The CLT focuses on teaching cultural literacy and critical thinking skills, which are essential for teenagers to succeed in adulthood. In contrast, the SAT primarily assesses test-taking abilities and forces educators to teach to the test, resulting in a lack of rigorous education. The SAT is a reflection of an education system that has lost its way.Classical education, which informs the format and content of the CLT, provides the discipline and structure that young students need to thrive. It allows students to become culturally literate and familiar with a wide range of social and political phenomena, which in turn increases their social mobility and resources in life.
The CLT exam tests students on their Western cultural literacy, rather than their ability to take a standardized test. On the other hand, the SAT includes content that aims to address diversity and inclusion concerns, but ends up providing an overly broad examination of information and factoids.
While the SAT was once a baseline for college readiness, around 50% of degree-granting institutions will no longer require standardized tests for fall 2024 admissions. To stay relevant, the SAT will likely make its questions more DEI-friendly, but this may make it less helpful as an assessment tool for college preparedness.
The CLT, as the culminating exercise of classical education, elevates students' capacities for success in higher education and society. It aims to overcome the documented failures of K-12 schools and colleges to instill critical thinking skills.
Proponents of traditional liberal arts education are at the forefront of the counterrevolution needed in our schools. Rebuilding secondary and higher education with new policies and practices that prioritize intellectual growth and virtue is essential for the future of American education.