USG Admissions Change?

(Already published on 3/11/01 via HeirUpdates e-mail list)

This morning, Mr. Tom Daniel and Mr. Daniel Papp from the Board of Regents appeared at my request before the Richmond County Legislative Delegation on the subject of Home School Students.

Mr. Daniel and Mr. Papp, assured the delegation that the scores from the previous years' Scholastic Aptitude Test and the proper Education credentials would be sufficient requirements necessary for admission to the Tier 1 Universities in the system.  The SAT II test will not be required.

I am enclosing a copy of the Paths for Admission to the University System as provided to me.  Should you have any questions, please telephone me.

Here is the text of the document referred to by Senator Cheeks:

Paths to Consideration for Admission To University System of Georgia Colleges and Universities For Home Schooled Students (DRAFT) There are five paths to consideration for admission at University System of Georgia colleges and universities for home schooled students. Average or Above Average SAT Score and Grade Point Averages with the Requisite College Preparatory Curriculum Students whose SAT I Composite (Verbal and Math) score is at or above the average SAT score of first-time freshmen admitted to USG institutions in the prior calendar year and who have completed a CPC as validated either by a portfolio of work that substantiates CPC completion, the Iowa Test for Academic Proficiency, The California Achievement Test, or the Stanford Achievement Test. SAT II Subject Tests The tests and approved BoR passing scores are: English Writing                          520 English Literature                               530 World History                                    540 American History & Social Studies                560 Math IC (or IIC for Georgia Tech @ 570)             500 Biology                                  520 Chemistry (or Physics at 590)                    540 Presidential Exception This category allows presidents of institutions to make exceptions to regular admissions requirements. Diploma from a regionally accredited home study program such as the American School or the Seton Home Study School. Diploma from the Center of the Accrediting Council for Independent Study (Georgia only). No path to consideration for admission guarantees admission to a University System of Georgia institution. The final decision on an admission application is made at the institutional level. Any USG institution may establish additional requirements.

Item 1 of this draft policy statement appears to conform to the proposal made in 1998 by the Georgia Coalition for Equity and Diversity in USG Admissions (http://www.heir.org/coaleqad/proposal.htm ), with some differences.  Those differences are:

1.  The draft policy sets the SAT composite cutoff at 50% of the previous year's admitted students, while the Coalition proposal called for scores "in or above the fourth stanine," which would correspond to a 33% cutoff.

2.  The draft policy identifies standardized tests to be used to assess achievement in the CPC, but does not indicate how the scores will be evaluated, while the Coalition proposal spelled out a process.

This draft policy is a very encouraging sign that the Board of Regents is ready to reach out to the homeschoolers in Georgia.  However, there also is reason for caution.  The draft does not clearly identify the procedures that will be used to evaluate standardized test scores (other than SAT) or portfolios.  The wording of item 1 also is confusing--while the item mentions "grade point average" it does not say how the grade point average will be submitted or evaluated.  Perhaps the standardized test scores are meant to subsitute in some way for a conventional grade point average, but the mechanism for this isn't clear.

HEIR will attempt to obtain more information about this new policy.  Anyone with additional information to share may email info@heir.org.

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