<p>According to the Texas Education Association website, the state of Texas has entered into an agreement with ACT and College Board to pay for ACT and SAT tests for high school juniors for the April through June test dates. As of yesterday, College Board had information on their website about this, but ACT did not. When I called ACT, they were aware of the program. Logistics are still being worked out, but it sounds like reimbursements are available if a student has already signed up.</p>
<p>Colorado administers the ACT to high school juniors, but unfortunately it is the ACT without Writing, which makes it unhelpful for a number of colleges. You might want to see if there are restrictions like that in Texas.</p>
<p>Sorry - it’s Texas Education Agency. Here’s the link to the press release: [Texas</a> Education Agency - Free college admissions tests](<a href=“http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=8305]Texas”>http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=8305)</p>
<p>It does include the ACT with writing. Only restrictions I see are the dates and that it is only for students enrolled in Texas public schools and charter schools.</p>
<p>Bumping - trying to get the word out!</p>
<p>This is great! And I’m confused…no word from S1’s school about it. Makes me wonder if they even know. I’m sending his GC the link from the College Board.</p>
<p>Thanks firefly!</p>
<p>I finally got around to registering D for June…I figured since she was from a Texas HS, the web site would just “know” it was free. No…you have to get a voucher with a special number from the GC. I emailed the GC and they don’t even have the vouchers from the state yet! The sign up for the May test has closed and most of the locations are already full for June but no vouchers yet. I guess I know why OUR district hasn’t publicized it!</p>
<p>Oh missypie I spent some time on the phone with College Board this morning. You don’t need to get anything from the school…in fact, my son went by his GC’s office and was told two things that weren’t true: That he could not use it for a subject test, and that he had to be on free or reduced lunch. I got on the phone with CB and they were happy to give me the voucher (really a number that you enter in when you sign up online.)</p>
<p>And I think they’ve extended the May test registration to April 15. Again, you should call the CB people. </p>
<p>But it’s horrible that they aren’t advertising this widely. GC seemed almost put out when I corrected her misinformation via email after the fact.</p>
<p>That’s very helpful scoop, givings.</p>
<p>The College Board site is definitely now showing an extended deadline to April 15 to register for May (although you have to call instead of registering online, so it sounds like the whole voucher thing will be taken care of in the call).</p>
<p>A couple more tidbits:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>For June registrants without a voucher, you can also double-check for a March 21 email with voucher that was sent to some College Board account holders – see more info in the link below. </p></li>
<li><p>Also per the link below, if you registered before this was announced, you’re supposed to automatically receive a credit “in 2-4 weeks.” I calendared it for May 1 to follow-up if I don’t see it in my online credit card statement by then. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>[SAT</a> Texas Spring 2010 Special Offer ? CollegeBoard](<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools)</p>
<p>Last week the local news announced that Texas high school Juniors were being given a code through their school to get a free ACT and SAT exam. I contacted the counselor at my daughters Catholic High School and they told me that per the TEA, the funds were not available for our school. The TEA told me that “private schools” were not eligible for the TAX FUNDS that will be used to pay for these tests. At first the home schooled students were not eligible for it either - but now they are. So EVERY junior in Texas is eligible for these free tests EXCEPT private schools. This is so wrong on so many levels. I guess after 17 years I should be used to the discrimination by now, but it is like another slap in the face. We pay major tax dollars to our school districts and get absolutely nothing in return. When will we all say enough already? You would think that ONE person would say this can’t be right. Would they announce on TV and radio that free tests are given to only blacks or Germans in Texas? I don’t think so - and yet, this is the same type of discrimination. Wrong is wrong.</p>
<p>Our high school has finally received its vouchers and has announced the availabily of the free testing. At this point, the only testing sites available are either an hours drive away OR are in neighborhoods in which we would not be comfortable having our teens driving alone.</p>