UC Regents Debate Reinstating SAT as Introductory Math Grades Slip Further

UC’s governing board launched a formal, months-long evaluation of the SAT after data showed continued declines in entry-level math performance over five years, with increasing D, F and withdrawal marks. Although introductory math courses make up about 5 % of freshman coursework, faculty across the system—represented by letters from over 3,000 professors—argue that many students lack basic math and reasoning skills, prompting calls to restore standardized testing.

Admissions officials at UCLA and UC Riverside said the removal of the SAT has not noticeably affected first-year retention or four-year graduation rates, which have reached record levels. The regents opened a public-input portal and announced a listening tour in Palm Springs, Chula Vista and San Diego. Regent Jay Sures publicly questioned his earlier vote to drop the test, citing research linking scores to college success. Opponents warn that reinstating the SAT could reinforce inequities and note that only about a quarter of California’s 2025 high-school class took the exam.