A 8531: Prevents certain public institutions of higher education from using the scholastic aptitude test and ACT assessment in the admissions process on and after the two thousand twenty-six--two thousand twenty-seven academic year for New York resident applicants; requires SUNY and CUNY to create a new standardized test by the two thousand thirty--two thousand thirty-one academic year.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8531 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY May 20, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Higher Education AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to public higher educa- tion admissions and standardized testing The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 340-a 2 to read as follows: 3 § 340-a. Public higher education admissions and standardized testing. 4 1. For all public institutions of higher education, except such insti- 5 tutions that are considered statutory colleges under this chapter: 6 (a) The use of current standardized test requirements for undergradu- 7 ate admissions of New York resident applicants shall be suspended until 8 the two thousand thirty--two thousand thirty-one academic year. 9 (b) For enrollment decisions for New York state resident applicants 10 for the two thousand twenty-six--two thousand twenty-seven and two thou- 11 sand twenty-seven--two thousand twenty-eight academic years, shall have 12 the option to use the scholastic aptitude test and ACT assessment test 13 scores in selection consideration if students choose to submit them. 14 (c) For enrollment decisions for New York state resident applicants 15 for the two thousand twenty-eight--two thousand twenty-nine and two 16 thousand twenty-nine--two thousand thirty academic years, shall not 17 consider standardized test scores for admissions selection and shall 18 practice test-blind admissions selection for New York state resident 19 applicants. 20 2. (a) The board of trustees of the state university of New York and 21 the board of trustees for the city university of New York shall each 22 identify and create a new test that aligns with the content the respec- 23 tive institutions expect students should have mastered to demonstrate 24 college readiness for students entering such institutions. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD08756-01-5 
 A. 8531 2 1 (b) If the board of trustees of the state university of New York and 2 the board of trustees for the city university of New York are unable to 3 either modify or create a test that meets these criteria and can be 4 available for applicants for the two thousand thirty--two thousand thir- 5 ty-one academic year, the respective institutions shall eliminate alto- 6 gether the use of the scholastic aptitude test and ACT assessment for 7 admissions selection for New York state resident applicants. 8 (c) The board of trustees of the state university of New York and the 9 board of trustees for the city university of New York shall consult with 10 kindergarten through twelfth grade educators, test experts, institutions 11 within the respective systems and faculty of those institutions to eval- 12 uate how best to construct a test better suited for the needs of the 13 systems. 14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.