The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has announced a significant change in its statewide college admissions testing program. Beginning in the spring of 2026, the SAT will replace the ACT as the state-funded college entrance exam for all public high school juniors. The decision follows the end of the state's contract with ACT Inc.
The new four-year agreement with the College Board, the organization that administers the SAT, is expected to generate substantial cost savings for the state. Officials project that the move could save Kentucky up to $350,000 annually.
Key Takeaways
- The SAT will become Kentucky's official state-funded college admissions exam starting in spring 2026.
- This change replaces the ACT, which has been the standard in the state for many years.
- The Kentucky Department of Education has secured a four-year contract with the College Board.
- The new contract is projected to save the state approximately $350,000 per year due to a fixed cost of $30 per student.
A New Era for Standardized Testing in Kentucky
The Kentucky Department of Education has finalized a contract with the College Board to make the SAT the primary college admissions test for its public school students. This marks a departure from a long-standing relationship with the ACT, which has historically been the dominant college entrance exam in Kentucky and much of the Midwest.
According to the KDE, the state's previous contract with ACT Inc. concluded on June 30, 2025. The new agreement with the College Board was awarded after a procurement process aimed at securing the best value and services for the state's students.
The transition will be implemented for the graduating class of 2027, who will be juniors during the 2025-2026 academic year. This gives school districts and educators time to adjust curriculum and test preparation strategies to align with the SAT format.
Historical Context: ACT's Dominance
The ACT (American College Testing) was founded in 1959 and has traditionally been more popular in the Midwestern, Southern, and Mountain West states. In contrast, the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), which originated in 1926, has historically been more prevalent on the East and West Coasts. Kentucky's switch reflects a broader trend of states re-evaluating their exclusive partnerships with one testing provider.
Financial Details of the College Board Contract
A primary driver behind the decision appears to be financial. The KDE's announcement highlighted the economic benefits of the new four-year contract. The agreement locks in a per-student testing fee of $30 for the entire four-year period.
This fixed rate provides budgetary predictability for the state and is expected to result in significant savings. The department estimates that the Commonwealth could save as much as $350,000 each year compared to previous costs. Over the full term of the contract, this could amount to total savings of up to $1.4 million.
Projected Savings Breakdown
- Annual Savings: Up to $350,000
- Four-Year Contract Savings: Up to $1.4 million
- Cost Per Student: Fixed at $30
These savings can be reallocated to other critical educational initiatives within the state, providing a direct benefit to Kentucky's public school system. The fixed-cost model protects the state from potential price increases over the next four years, a key consideration amid fluctuating economic conditions.
Impact on Students and School Districts
The transition from the ACT to the SAT will require adjustments for students, teachers, and school administrators across Kentucky. While both exams are widely accepted by colleges and universities nationwide, they have distinct differences in structure, content, and scoring.
Preparing for the Digital SAT
The College Board has transitioned the SAT to a fully digital format, a change that will be part of the Kentucky implementation. The digital test is shorter than its paper-based predecessor and features an adaptive testing model, where the difficulty of the second module is based on a student's performance in the first.
Key features of the SAT that Kentucky students will now focus on include:
- Reading and Writing Section: This combined section uses shorter reading passages with a single question per passage, a notable difference from the ACT's longer passages.
- Math Section: The SAT Math section is divided into two parts, one of which allows a calculator for all questions. The digital version includes a built-in Desmos graphing calculator.
- No Science Section: Unlike the ACT, the SAT does not have a dedicated Science section. Instead, scientific reasoning skills are integrated into other sections through charts, graphs, and data interpretation questions.
"This initial four-year contract, with a cost of $30 per student locked in over the four years, has the potential to save the Commonwealth up to $350,000 annually," the Kentucky Department of Education stated in its announcement.
National Trends in Statewide Testing
Kentucky is not alone in making a change to its statewide assessment program. In recent years, several states have switched between the ACT and SAT as their official high school exam. These decisions are often influenced by factors such as cost, alignment with state academic standards, and the suite of services offered by the testing organizations.
The College Board, for example, offers a connected set of assessments including the PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9. A statewide SAT contract often includes access to these preparatory tests, providing a more integrated system for tracking student progress from middle school through high school.
The shift also comes at a time when the role of standardized tests in college admissions is evolving. Many universities have adopted test-optional policies, yet statewide assessments remain a key benchmark for measuring school performance and student readiness for postsecondary education. By providing the SAT to all juniors at no cost, Kentucky ensures that every student has an opportunity to take a college entrance exam, regardless of their financial circumstances.
