Indiana lawmakers push bill allowing Classic Learning Test scores in college applications

Indiana could see a shift in college admissions testing if Senate Bill 88 (SB 88) becomes law. The legislation, which recently advanced out of the Senate Education Committee, would require public colleges and universities in the state to consider scores from the Classic Learning Test (CLT) alongside SAT and ACT results. The CLT, a test drawing on classical Western literature and historical texts, is increasingly popular among private and home-schooled students, according to reporting by Chalkbeat.

Classic Learning Test: An alternative path

The CLT evaluates students’ ability to analyze influential texts from Western culture, including works by Homer, Shakespeare, Plato, and Cicero. Proponents, including Nathaniel Pullmann, headmaster of Fort Wayne’s Redeemer Classical School, told Chalkbeat during a legislative hearing that the CLT has been a more accurate predictor of educational success for students in classical curricula. “If this bill is passed, colleges in Indiana will find the same thing that hundreds of other colleges have found: it is a good predictor of educational success,” Pullmann said.

Supporters say the CLT is particularly advantageous for private school and home-schooled students because it can be taken remotely, unlike the SAT and ACT, which require on-site testing. Nine private colleges in Indiana already accept CLT scores, and several service academies have followed suit, Chalkbeat reported.

Concerns over cultural bias and policy origins

Critics have raised concerns about potential cultural bias in the test, as it draws primarily on Western and classical texts. Some also questioned the bill’s origins, noting that the proposal aligns closely with model policy language from groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council. Russ Skiba, professor emeritus at Indiana University, told Chalkbeat, “Why should Indiana accept a bill that has been cut and pasted from various outside think tanks?”

Success sequence in schools

SB 88 also includes a provision to teach the “success sequence” in public schools—a series of steps cited by supporters as a pathway out of poverty: graduate high school, secure full-time employment, and have children only after marriage. GOP Sen. Spencer Deery emphasized its importance, telling legislators that “if students live that, the chance of them being poor is almost zero,” Chalkbeat reported.

Democratic senators, however, argued that the policy oversimplifies systemic issues and could stigmatize students from single-parent households. Sen. Andrea Hunley reflected on her own experiences, noting how such instruction could make students in similar situations feel marginalized.

Licensing exams and higher education implications

Beyond college admissions, SB 88 would allow prospective teachers in alternate licensing programs to submit SAT, ACT, CLT, or GRE scores instead of taking a licensing exam. Currently, most public colleges in Indiana are test-optional, including all Indiana University campuses, University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University, and Ball State. Purdue University requires SAT or ACT scores for its West Lafayette campus but maintains a test-optional policy for its Fort Wayne and Northwestern campuses, according to Chalkbeat.

Next steps for SB 88

The bill, which removed earlier language mandating instruction on the Ten Commandments and restricting national identity education, will now move to the full Senate for consideration. Lawmakers in the House are separately discussing a measure to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments, Chalkbeat noted.

If enacted, SB 88 could reshape both testing practices and civics education in Indiana, creating new opportunities for students while raising questions about cultural inclusivity and educational policy origins.
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