Dr. Gerard Jellig is an educator who has served as a turnaround principal in schools that are now viewed as success stories, and as an executive with area school districts. Most recently, Jerry Jellig serves as instructional superintendent in DC Public Schools. An alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Gerard Jellig also serves as an adjunct professor of organizational theory at the university.
Jerry Jellig has seen quite a few changes, and challenges, to the SAT over his career, and in the article below, Dr. Jellig reports the latest news concerning the status of this standardized test that has kept more than a few high school seniors up at night.
The SAT may have seemed like one of those immovable higher education institutions, but as the culture shifts, so do the qualifications to get into universities.
But what is the status of the SAT these days, and what changes does the College Board have in store in order to satisfy those looking to throw out the test altogether? Dr. Gerard Jellig reviews the latest information available and how the SAT is being predicted to change in the near future.
Changes to the Testing Format
Dr. Gerard Jellig reports that The College Board recently announced that the SAT would be administered digitally. The online version of the test was piloted in the U.S and internationally in November of 2021 and reportedly received favorable reviews from the small trial group.
But going digital isn’t the only way the test is evolving for a new generation says Jerry Jellig.
The digital SAT has also been redesigned to be more relevant to students’ curriculum and shortened to two hours from three. Students will have more time per question, and there will be fewer questions and shorter passages to give students ample time to complete them.
Moving to a digital format provides each student with more test security says Dr. Gerard Jellig. In the past, if a test was compromised, all students in the room were at risk of having their tests invalidated. The new system prevents that by providing each student with a unique test form that makes it impossible for students to share answers.
Jerry Jellig explains that administrators no longer have the stress of packaging, sorting, and shipping the testing materials after their proctoring session has ended. With a shorter and more accessible test, school districts now have more flexibility when it comes to when and where the test will be administered.
These new changes will be in full effect internationally in 2023 and in the US by 2024 according to Dr. Gerard Jellig.
What Stays the Same
The test will continue to be administered in a classroom or proctored testing center explains Jerry Jellig. Scholarships that have been available to students taking the SAT will continue to have those opportunities and have access to the College Board National Recognition Program. The program allows qualifying high school students who are underrepresented to receive academic honors.
The overall objective of the test remains the same, but the formatting has been tailored to better meet the accessibility needs of students.
The Impact
Dr. Gerard Jellig explains that with the test moving to a digital platform, the College Board is working to address the disparity of technological access. Students can use a school-issued computer or a personal device to take the test. The College Board will provide computers for those who otherwise would not have access to one.
Students who took the pilot test said it was less stressful than the traditional paper and pencil test form. They reported that the test took noticeably less time to complete, and they felt more comfortable with shorter reading passages that helped them concentrate better.
Jerry Jellig says the digital format also allows test results to be returned within days rather than weeks. This gives students a leg up when seeking higher education and career resources that require a score to determine what they qualify for.
The Future of the SAT
There will of course be those institutions and individuals that will keep pushing to have the standardized test thrown out entirely, Time will tell if the changes have the intended effects that the College Board is striving for according to Dr. Gerard Jellig. But the digital, shorter format is likely only to improve as the organization works out any problems and learns the best way to administer tests in the digital age.
