Governor Hassan signed House Bill 323 into law Wednesday, giving schools the choice to give the SAT or ACT to high school juniors in order to meet federal testing requirements.
Previously, all students in the state were required to take the Smarter Balanced Assessment to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind.
But according to Republican Rep. James Grenier, who sponsored the bill, schools continue to be skeptical of mandatory statewide tests like the Smarter Balanced Assessment.
"Most schools have their own local testing," Grenier says. "There's a common one called NWEA which gives immediate answers, and schools use that."
An earlier version of the bill would have cut the number of required tests beginning in third grade.
Supporters of the new law, including districts like Manchester, also believe it will help more low-income students take college prep tests without incurring any cost.
The rule takes effect in September, pending approval from federal regulators.
