IDAHO SAT® SCHOOL DAY REGISTRATION BEGINS TODAY

Beginning today, high school juniors in Idaho’s public schools can register for the first-ever Idaho SAT School Day, the free, in-school college entrance exam scheduled for April 18. Sponsored by the Idaho State Department of Education and The College Board, a not-for-profit education organization, Idaho SAT School Day is designed to promote college-readiness among all students and to encourage students to start planning for educational opportunities beyond high school. Students who participate in Idaho SAT School Day will also fulfill a key state graduation requirement.

“Providing funding for every junior to take a college entrance exam is a critical piece of Students Come First. Through Idaho SAT School Day, we will help create the 21st Century Classroom and make sure every student is prepared to go on to postsecondary education after high school,” said Tom Luna, Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Students can register for Idaho SAT School Day online at http://sat.org/idaho. Registration ends April 4. All Idaho public schools with 11th graders have been sent Idaho SAT School Day vouchers with printed numbers to give to the students to register. Registering is easy. Students only need four things: an e-mail account, a free College Board online account, their EDUID (State ID) number and their Idaho SAT student voucher, available from their school counselor. Every SAT registration includes up to four free score reports that can be sent to colleges and scholarship services. Registering for the SAT also enables students to participate in the College Board’s Student Search Service®, through which students can let colleges, universities and scholarship programs know they are interested in hearing from them. Students participating in the Student Search Service also have the opportunity to receive educational and financial aid information from colleges, universities and scholarship programs.

In 2007, the Legislature approved a new high school graduation requirement for all high school students to complete a college entrance exam by the end of their junior year. During the 2011 session, through the Students Come First laws, lawmakers appropriated $963,500 for students in the class of 2013 to take the SAT at no cost to the students or their families.

The SAT is a curriculum-based college entrance exam that measures the reading, math, and writing skills and knowledge students acquire during high school. The SAT also measures how well students can apply their knowledge, a factor both educators and researchers agree is critically important for success in college and beyond. Idaho conducted a competitive bid process before selecting the SAT. Reviewers selected the SAT because of its comprehensive tools for teachers and students, including a free online preparation course for students. The SAT also provides fast score reporting for students and access to online score reports.

Research has shown that taking a rigorous curriculum in high school is the best way to prepare for college, and for the SAT. To help Idaho students familiarize themselves with the SAT and prepare for Idaho SAT School Day, the Idaho State Department of Education and the College Board are providing all public school juniors with free access to The Official SAT Online Course™. Additional free and low-cost SAT practice tools and resources, including a free, full-length practice test and The Official SAT Question of the Day™ are available at http://sat.collegeboard.org/.