{"id":18910,"date":"2024-05-15T14:29:38","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T18:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/?p=18910"},"modified":"2025-11-05T16:04:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T21:04:45","slug":"illinois-act-requirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progresslearning.com\/news-blog\/illinois-act-requirement\/","title":{"rendered":"ACT\u00ae or SAT\u00ae in Illinois? 2025 Requirement Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

On May 14, 2024 Illinois State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders announced that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will be switching from the SAT\u00a0to the ACT<\/a>\u00a0for the state’s high school accountability assessment. Starting in 2025, this transition carries significant implications for educators and students.<\/p>\n

The ISBE’s contract with the College Board\u00ae<\/sup> expired on June 30, 2024. This means that students in Illinois high schools started taking the ACT\u00ae<\/a> in the 2025 school year instead of the SAT\u00ae<\/sup><\/a> which has been administered since 2016. It was previously reported in March 2024 that the ISBE was awarding a contract to ACT, Inc but the Illinois State Procurement Office was approached with appeals to reject the contract. Those appeals have now officially been denied.<\/p>\n

All public high school students in Illinois are required to take accountability assessments like the ACT\u00ae or SAT\u00ae<\/sup> to obtain their high school diploma. For the last 8 years, that accountability assessment in Illinois has been the SAT\u00ae<\/sup>. For 15 years before that, students had previously taken the ACT\u00ae. The state board had continuously renewed the College Board’s contract during those 8 years, despite protests from ACT, Inc. in 2016 and 2018.<\/p>\n

The new 2025 contract with ACT, Inc. includes assessments for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders and aligns with Illinois Learning Standards in English and math. In addition to the ACT\u00ae’s alignment with standards, Dr. Sanders points out that College Board and ACT, Inc were both very competitive in their bids on two elements that make up 75% of the points awarded – technical specifications and commitment to diversity. The remaining 25% of the points are based on price and were solely reviewed by the State Procurement Office.<\/p>\n

Answering Your Questions About the New Illinois ACT<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The switch from the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> to the ACT\u00ae in Illinois raises numerous considerations and implications for educators and students. Let\u2019s take a closer look at some questions we\u2019ve been getting about this transition to the ACT\u00ae.<\/p>\n

So the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> Isn’t Required in Illinois?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The SAT\u00ae<\/sup> was required in Illinois up to June 30th 2024. That has changed for the 2025 school year when the contract with the College Board expired and the new 3 year contract with ACT, Inc went into effect.<\/p>\n

Now that we know with certainty that the ACT\u00ae is required, schools will need to adjust their curriculum and resources to accommodate this change. Dr. Sanders also noted that the ISBE’s Assessment Department will partner with ACT\u00ae to “provide ample support to the field.”<\/p>\n

Will Students Take the ACT\u00ae or SAT\u00ae<\/sup> in Illinois?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Because the ISBE has officially awarded a contract to ACT, Inc, high school students in Illinois will be required to take the ACT\u00ae to graduate. However, students still have the option to take the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> at their own expense if the college or university they\u2019re applying to requires it or they feel it would be beneficial to their application.<\/p>\n

Will Chicago Schools Switch to the ACT\u00ae?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In contrast to the state of Illinois, the Chicago Board of Education recently renewed its contract with the College Board in April 2023. That means that Chicago public schools will continue administering the PSAT\u00ae<\/sup> and SAT\u00ae<\/sup> until at least 2026. This divergence in contracts between Chicago and Illinois is causing some confusion, as it\u2019s still unclear whether Chicago students will be taking the SAT\u00ae<\/sup>, ACT\u00ae, or both.<\/p>\n

Should Schools Prepare for the Illinois SAT\u00ae<\/sup> or the Illinois ACT\u00ae?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Illinois schools, especially those in Chicago, may consider doubling up on preparation for both the ACT\u00ae and SAT\u00ae<\/sup> to ensure students are adequately equipped for their college entrance exams. This preparation can significantly impact college admissions, as standardized test scores remain a crucial component in the application process. While some schools have done away with college entrance exams, many top universities still require the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> or ACT\u00ae in their admission requirements.<\/p>\n

Will There Be More Changes in the Future?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Considering the ever-evolving world of standardized testing and college admissions, the switches in contracts, and the appeals against those changes, it’s highly likely that things will change yet again in the future. Currently, the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> has gone fully digital and the ACT\u00ae is beginning to offer online testing options. Dr. Sanders noted in his message that ACT\u00ae does provide a fully secure online testing environment for students.<\/p>\n

The SAT\u00ae<\/sup> has also switched to an adaptive testing model, where questions adjust based on the student\u2019s performance on previous questions. Because of this, many Illinois educators argue that the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> has been keeping up with the changing world of education, while the ACT\u00ae has lagged behind. They argue that the ACT\u00ae has not changed in years and doesn\u2019t align with Illinois Learning Standards anymore.<\/p>\n

How Progress Learning Can Help Schools and Districts Prepare for Either the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> or ACT\u00ae<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Progress Learning is well-positioned for the transition to the ACT\u00ae, offering both SAT\u00ae<\/sup>\u00a0and ACT\u00ae readiness courses and benchmark assessments. Existing Illinois customers that won\u2019t need to completely overhaul or rewrite their SAT\u00ae<\/sup> curriculum. Customers can switch to our ACT\u00ae product, or customers can use both SAT and ACT\u00ae products to help their students prepare for whatever makes sense for their situation.<\/p>\n

Our schools and districts will be able to seamlessly transition to ACT\u00ae without the need to implement new tools, ensuring continuity in their college test preparation. So whether you\u2019re in Chicago preparing for the SAT\u00ae<\/sup> or in Springfield, Rockford, or any other location in Illinois preparing for the ACT\u00ae, we have the support you need to master your accountability assessments and college entrance exams.<\/p>\n

Progress Learning offers benchmark assessments and comprehensive prep curriculum to help Illinois students prepare for the ACT\u00ae. Fill out the form below to see our prep solution.<\/p>\n