A report by USA Today found that Florida high school students who are unable to pass state-mandated algebra and English exams are increasingly using the Classic Learning Test (CLT) to meet graduation requirements. The CLT, introduced as an alternative to the SAT and ACT, has seen rising adoption across the state since it was approved for use in 2023.
The trend follows recent state policy changes that allow the CLT to serve as a concordant score for graduation, meaning it can substitute for failed state assessments. While the SAT and ACT are also used for this purpose, education officials in at least nine Florida school districts reported that the CLT has contributed to higher graduation rates among students who previously struggled to meet testing benchmarks.
Critics of the exam's math section, including education experts interviewed by USA Today, stated the test contains a higher concentration of middle-school level material compared to its competitors. Leesa Crescenzi, former head of the math department for the Hillsborough County School District, said students found they could pass the math portion by correctly answering pre-algebra questions and guessing on the remaining items. Jeremy Tate, CEO of Classic Learning Initiatives, which administers the CLT, disputed claims that the test is easier, noting that the state determines the passing threshold.
The scale of this impact is reflected in the graduation data of Florida’s large school districts. In Hillsborough County alone, school board member Nadia Combs noted that while the test helps students graduate, there are concerns regarding whether these students are adequately prepared for post-secondary education or the workforce. If students are graduating based on middle-school level math competencies rather than high-school level proficiency, they may face immediate challenges in college-level remedial courses or entry-level employment testing, potentially resulting in higher personal costs for non-credit tutoring or failed job placements.
The increased reliance on the CLT also sets a precedent for how states may choose to bypass traditional national testing standards in favor of newer, private alternatives. This could lead to a divergence in academic standards between states that stick to the SAT/ACT and those that adopt the CLT. For the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year, Florida officials have indicated they plan to slightly raise the required CLT score for graduation. The results of these higher benchmarks will likely be seen in the graduation data released in the summer of 2027.