Standardized Testing Choice Act.
HB 918, the "Standardized Testing Choice Act," establishes new requirements for standardized testing in North Carolina, beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. It mandates that the University of North Carolina system accept scores from the SAT, ACT, or Classic Learning Test (CLT) interchangeably for admissions and state-funded scholarships, including concordant minimum scores. The bill also requires local school administrative units to offer eighth through tenth-grade students the opportunity to take the CLT10, in addition to the PSAT/NMSQT or PreACT, at no cost. These provisions directly affect students applying to UNC institutions and those in North Carolina high schools.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Apr 10, 2025
Last action May 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
A1: ACW-12-V-4
→
Edition 1
·
5 edits
MODERATE
This bill was converted from an amendment document to a complete legislative bill. The main substantive change is the addition of the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as an accepted standardized test option alongside the SAT and ACT for university admissions and scholarships at UNC system institutions. The bill also mandates that high schools offer the CLT10 test to eligible students at no cost.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from being an amendment to a standalone bill that establishes new testing requirements for UNC admissions and mandates CLT10 availability in high schools.
REQUIREMENT
Added requirement that UNC entities must allow students to submit CLT scores as an alternative to SAT or ACT scores for admissions and scholarships.
Added requirement that high schools must offer CLT10 testing to eligible students at no cost to the student.
DEFINITION
Added new definitions for 'Applicant', 'Board of Governors', 'Constituent institution', 'Entity of The University of North Carolina', 'Identified test', and 'Scholarship'.
TECHNICAL
Removed amendment-specific formatting including amendment adoption language, amendment number fields, and amendment sponsor signature lines.
TIMELINE
Added effective dates of 2025-2026 academic year for testing requirements and 2025-2026 school year for high school testing requirements.
Floor votes · House May 6, 2025
How they voted
108–1
Passed · 12 other
Total votes 121
May 6, 2025
D
Democratic46
84% Yea
I
Independent2
100% Yea
R
Republican73
91% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
16
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Amendments
1
May 7, 2025
Committee
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
upper
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed 3rd Reading
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amend Adopted A1
lower
May 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Committee
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
lower
Apr 14, 2025
Committee
Ref to the Com on Higher Education, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Introduced
Filed
lower
2 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Hugh Blackwell
RRepublican
P
John Torbett
RRepublican
Co
Bill Ward
RRepublican
Co
David Willis
RRepublican
Co
Jimmy Dixon
RRepublican
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