Public Counsel

What began as a letter urging the UC to cease the use of SAT and ACT scores in admissions resulted in a lawsuit that accomplished just that, and more.

The Alameda County Superior Court granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday that requires the UC system to cease use of the SAT and ACT as part of the admissions process, according to a press release from pro bono law firm Public Counsel.

Students are suing the UC system for its test-optional admissions policy, alleging that applicants will still have to take the discriminatory exams.

A working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests the removal of SAT and ACT scores as a factor in college admissions, which could reduce income segregation in colleges and increase intergenerational income mobility.

A group of students and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit against the UC system Tuesday to end the requirement of SAT and ACT scores in the UC application process.

In a letter addressed Tuesday to the UC Board of Regents, lawyers representing organizations such as the Compton Unified School District and the Community Coalition demanded that the UC system eliminate standardized tests as an admissions requirement.

On Monday, the California State Senate passed SB 607 — spearheaded by State Senator Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley — which eliminated “willful defiance” as justification for suspension and expulsion of students in grades K-12.