New Testing Alternative Pulling Colleges Away

Close-up of a purple graduation tassel next to a diploma

A new classical education testing giant is dismantling the College Board’s decades-long monopoly on standardized testing, offering parents and students an escape from ideologically-driven curricula that have dominated American education.

Story Highlights

Classic Learning Test launches comprehensive alternatives to SAT, ACT, AP, and International Baccalaureate programs
Over 300 colleges now accept CLT exams as elite universities shift to test-flexible admissions policies
New Classical Baccalaureate program provides complete K-12 ecosystem emphasizing virtue and classical education
Initiative responds to parental demand for rigorous alternatives free from progressive ideologies in standardized testing

Breaking the Testing Monopoly

Classic Learning Test announced in January 2026 its most ambitious expansion yet, partnering with Arcadia Education to launch the Classical Baccalaureate program. This initiative directly challenges the International Baccalaureate’s global dominance while complementing CLT’s previously announced Enduring Courses, which target the College Board’s 43 Advanced Placement courses. Alex Julian from Arcadia Education joined CLT to spearhead the Classical Baccalaureate development, bringing expertise in classical curriculum design. The announcement represents a comprehensive assault on testing monopolies that have controlled college admissions requirements since the SAT debuted in 1926.

🎉Competition Coming for the SAT, ACT, AP, and International Baccalaureate!!!🏆
Can't come soon enough!https://t.co/RyYj3IpSmW

— Keri D. Ingraham (@KeriDIngraham) January 21, 2026

Comprehensive Classical Education Ecosystem

The Classical Baccalaureate delivers what Julian describes as an entire ecosystem of K-12 classical education resources, including curriculum development, teacher and leadership training, grade-level testing from third through eleventh grade, and full accreditation services. This comprehensive approach distinguishes CLT from traditional competitors by addressing multiple educational needs simultaneously. The program welcomes established classical schools, new institutions, and traditional schools transitioning toward classical models. CLT already offers tests spanning grades three through eight, the CLT10 for ninth and tenth graders as a PSAT alternative, and the flagship CLT exam for eleventh graders competing directly with SAT and ACT.

Timing Aligns With Policy Shifts

CLT’s expansion coincides with significant changes in college admissions testing requirements across America. Following widespread test-optional policies during COVID-19, elite universities including Yale, Harvard, and Brown reinstated testing requirements for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle but adopted test-flexible models accepting SAT, ACT, AP, or IB scores. Auburn University mandated tests for Fall 2027 admissions beginning in July 2025. This test-flexible environment creates unprecedented opportunities for CLT alternatives, as over 300 colleges now accept CLT exams. Meanwhile, institutions like the University of California system maintain test-blind policies, and others including UChicago and Texas A&M remain test-optional, creating a fragmented landscape.

Rejecting Ideological Infiltration

CLT positions its offerings as antidotes to what supporters characterize as watered-down content and progressive ideologies permeating SAT, ACT, AP, and IB programs. The emphasis on truth, goodness, and beauty through classical education contrasts sharply with what many conservative parents view as the College Board’s capitulation to woke agendas. This philosophical distinction matters significantly to families frustrated by public schools’ perceived quality decline and ideological biases. The Classical Baccalaureate’s focus on knowledge and virtue directly addresses parental demand for educational alternatives that prioritize academic rigor over social engineering. For families seeking schools aligned with traditional values, CLT’s comprehensive ecosystem offers practical pathways previously unavailable in standardized testing.

Market Disruption and Future Implications

The long-term implications of CLT’s expansion could fundamentally reshape American standardized testing. Short-term effects include expanded options for classical schools and increased CLT adoption facilitated by test-flexible policies at prestigious universities. If colleges broadly accredit CLT’s Classical Baccalaureate and Enduring Courses alongside existing CLT exams, the College Board’s and IB’s market dominance faces genuine erosion. This competition could force incumbents toward greater rigor and ideological neutrality, or accelerate fragmentation in testing standards. The economic impact extends beyond CLT and Arcadia’s revenue growth, potentially affecting how schools allocate resources for test preparation and curriculum development while preserving merit-based aid unaffected by test-optional policies.