Florida is slated to vote on adopting a classical education model, which would make the state the first of its kind.
Altony Lee III, a spokesman for the Florida Board of Education, told Axios that the board would vote to adopt the conservative-backed education model on Aug. 30. The proposal would allow students to take the Classical Learning Test (CLT) instead of the SAT or ACT. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in May that allowed the test to be used to determine eligibility for a state scholarship program. Currently, around 200 schools accept its scores, most of them religious.
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The exam’s website pitches it as unique from other tests, as “unlike other tests that change according to educational or cultural trends, CLT exams emphasize foundational critical thinking skills and are accessible to students from a variety of educational backgrounds.”
The “classical” part of the name refers to its use of classical literature and historical texts, which offer “a more edifying testing experience and reflect a holistic education.”
The assessment contains the sections verbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and quantitative reasoning. The test lasts two hours and can be taken online.
While praised by conservative figures, the exam has come under fire from left-wing activists, who argue that it’s harmful and racist, as it centers European and American heritage as most important.
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Julian Vasquez Heilig, a professor of educational leadership, research, and technology at Western Michigan University, derided it as “really a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“Really, what it’s about is using selective Western thinkers to foment a specific moral ideology,” he told Axios.
