The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on Thursday formally proposed that SAT and ACT requirements be permanently eliminated from NCAA initial-eligibility standards, effective immediately.
The proposal originated from the NABC Committee on Racial Reconciliation, which was formed last month to address issues related to racism and injustice in college athletics and beyond. The committee is co-chaired by Harvard coach Tommy Amaker and South Carolina coach Frank Martin.
“The NABC Committee on Racial Reconciliation believes that the SAT and ACT are longstanding forces of institutional racism and no longer have a place in intercollegiate athletics or higher education at large,” said Amaker and Martin in a joint statement. “This is an important step towards combating educational inequality in our country.”
The NCAA previously waived test scores for incoming college students this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am proud of the continued efforts of the Committee on Racial Reconciliation, and look forward to engaging further with the NCAA on this crucial topic,” added NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. “We feel it is prudent for college athletics to address a standardized test structure that has long had disproportionately-negative impacts on low-income and minority students.”
In addition to the systemic racism issues associated with standardized tests, the Committee on Racial Reconciliation also identified concerns related to the impact of COVID-19 on test access and preparation.
“COVID-19 has made finding a safe, accessible SAT or ACT testing location very difficult for most rising seniors,” the proposal states. “Those with the most additional burdens and disadvantages of all kinds because of COVID-19, not just in finding a safe testing location, are low-income and underrepresented minority students.”
The full NABC proposal, which includes a series of statistical and anecdotal rationale, can be viewed here.
(Release via NABC)
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