{"id":2610528,"date":"2026-06-04T08:48:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T12:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/race-grifters-test-blind-uc-admissions-boosting-stem-students-cant-do-middle-school-math\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T08:56:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T12:56:41","slug":"race-grifters-test-blind-uc-admissions-boosting-stem-students-cant-do-middle-school-math","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/race-grifters-test-blind-uc-admissions-boosting-stem-students-cant-do-middle-school-math\/","title":{"rendered":"Race Grifters Boost\u00a0Students Who\u00a0Can\u2019t\u00a0Do Middle School Math"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frace-grifters-test-blind-uc-admissions-boosting-stem-students-cant-do-middle-school-math%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2610528&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>More than 1,200 University of california faculty members have signed an open letter calling on UC leadership to reinstate SAT\/ACT math requirements for applicants to math and science majors starting with the 2027 admissions cycle.The letter argues that eliminating or making standardized tests optional (\u201ctest-blind\u201d\/\u201ctest-optional\u201d policies) was driven by ideology and has harmed student preparedness, particularly in mathematics.<\/p>\n<p>The piece claims that many universities, especially within the UC system, removed standardized testing based on arguments that such tests perpetuate racial disparities. It also contends that the underlying causes of those disparities are not the exams themselves, but broader failures in K-12 education and unequal access to advanced coursework.<\/p>\n<p>It further argues that UC\u2019s move away from standardized testing-after a temporary suspension became permanent-conflicted with UC faculty findings that SAT\/ACT scores were better predictors of college success (notably for non-white and low-income students) than relying on high school GPAs alone, especially amid ongoing grade inflation. The article points to MIT and other elite institutions that reinstated test requirements, saying they improve transparency and help identify academically prepared students from disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/p>\n<p>The letter ties these admissions changes to California\u2019s Mathematics Framework, which the author describes as delaying core math topics and narrowing pathways like \u201cdata science.\u201d The article cites concerns from educators, engineers, and scientists-including Nobel laureates-that this curriculum approach will widen achievement gaps by making it harder for students from wealthier families to access support early (e.g., private tutoring), while disadvantaged students fall behind.<\/p>\n<p>it describes reports and faculty statements alleging a serious decline in incoming students\u2019 math readiness at UC San Diego, plus warnings from UC math professors that basic mathematical fluency is essential for success in STEM courses. The article urges UC to publicly acknowledge policy failure, reinstate objective testing for STEM admissions, and review how empirical evidence was overridden in 2020. It concludes by urging accountability from UC leaders and suggests public pressure, including potential resignations, if policy changes do not follow.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>More than 1,200 faculty members from the University of California have <a href=\"https:\/\/ucstudentsuccess.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signed an open letter<\/a>, urging university leadership to reinstate SAT and ACT\u00a0math\u00a0testing requirements\u00a0for applicants to\u00a0math and science\u00a0majors, beginning with the 2027 admissions cycle. <\/p>\n<p>Many\u00a0leftists\u00a0argue\u00a0that standardized tests like the SAT and ACT perpetuate\u00a0so-called\u00a0systemic racism and widen racial disparities in education. They have pushed to abolish these\u00a0\u201cracist\u201d\u00a0tests in the name of equity. This effort gained\u00a0momentum in 2020 amid COVID-19\u00a0lockdowns\u00a0and the national\u00a0racial hatred efforts\u00a0following George Floyd\u2019s death.  <\/p>\n<p>Consequently,\u00a0more\u00a0than <a href=\"https:\/\/feed.georgetown.edu\/access-affordability\/most-u-s-colleges-have-dropped-act-sat-requirement-for-fall-2021-admission\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1,000<\/a> colleges and universities across the\u00a0United\u00a0States\u00a0eliminated or made SAT\u00a0and\u00a0ACT\u00a0college testing\u00a0requirements optional, with the University of California system at the forefront. However, it is crucial to recognize that the real causes of racial disparities in test scores do not lie with the tests.\u00a0For\u00a0leftists, however, it is much easier to\u00a0scapegoat\u00a0standardized testing\u00a0than\u00a0deal with the real problem\u00a0\u2014\u00a0parents abandoning their duties and\u00a0the broken K-12 public school system. <\/p>\n<p>The UC decision stands out because\u00a0its regents unanimously <a href=\"https:\/\/regents.universityofcalifornia.edu\/regmeet\/may20\/b4.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">approved<\/a> President Janet Napolitano\u2019s recommendation to suspend standardized test scores in college admissions. What began as a temporary suspension through 2024 became a permanent test-blind policy.  <\/p>\n<p>This\u00a0went against the <a href=\"https:\/\/senate.universityofcalifornia.edu\/_files\/underreview\/sttf-report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">findings<\/a> of\u00a0UC\u2019s\u00a0own faculty task force, which\u00a0reported in 2020 that SAT and ACT scores were better predictors of college success (especially for\u00a0non-white\u00a0and low-income students) than high school GPAs alone, particularly amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.org\/content\/dam\/act\/secured\/documents\/Evidence-of-Grade-Inflation-in-English-Math-Social-Studies-and-Science.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">widespread\u00a0and continually expanding\u00a0grade inflation<\/a>. The task force\u00a0recommended\u00a0the college\u00a0continue\u00a0to use\u00a0these standardized tests while working on improved alternatives. Reality soon\u00a0validated\u00a0the faculty task force. In 2022,\u00a0the Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u00a0became the first elite institution to <a href=\"https:\/\/mitadmissions.org\/blogs\/entry\/we-are-reinstating-our-sat-act-requirement-for-future-admissions-cycles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reinstate<\/a> the SAT\/ACT requirement. Dean of Admissions Stu Schmill <a href=\"https:\/\/mitadmissions.org\/blogs\/entry\/we-are-reinstating-our-sat-act-requirement-for-future-admissions-cycles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">explained<\/a> that standardized testing\u00a0\u201csignificantly improved\u201d\u00a0the ability to predict academic success at MIT, particularly in mathematics. He emphasized that requiring test scores is\u00a0\u201cmore equitable and transparent than a test-optional policy,\u201d\u00a0as it helps to\u00a0identify\u00a0academically prepared students from disadvantaged backgrounds who otherwise may not have access to advanced coursework or enriching programs.  <\/p>\n<p>Following MIT\u2019s example, several prestigious colleges, including Yale, Harvard, and Dartmouth,\u00a0reinstated standardized testing requirements for admissions, reaffirming the importance of these exams in promoting academic excellence. <\/p>\n<p>California doubled down in the opposite direction. Alongside test-blind admissions, the state embraced the controversial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cde.ca.gov\/ci\/ma\/cf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">California Mathematics Framework<\/a> (CMF), another\u00a0leftist\u00a0idea that\u00a0dumbs down\u00a0math education by delaying Algebra I until ninth grade.\u00a0This framework also\u00a0promotes less rigorous\u00a0\u201cdata science\u201d\u00a0pathways for high schoolers.  <\/p>\n<p>More than\u00a0700 educators, engineers, and scientists, including several Nobel\u00a0laureates, voiced\u00a0their concerns in an <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/view\/k12mathmatters\/home\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open letter<\/a>, arguing\u00a0the CMF will\u00a0widen achievement gaps. Wealthier families can afford to supplement their children\u2019s education with private tutoring\u00a0or early algebra, leaving disadvantaged students further behind\u00a0and\u00a0limiting their access to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/college-board-to-revise-african-american-studies-course-under-pressure-from-critical-race-theorists\/\" title=\"College Board To Revise African American Studies Course Under Pressure From Critical Race Theorists\">advanced high school courses<\/a>, college majors, and promising careers in\u00a0math and science. <\/p>\n<p>The combined effects of watered\u00a0down math education and test-blind college admissions have been stark.\u00a0A 2025 UC San Diego <a href=\"https:\/\/senate.ucsd.edu\/media\/740347\/sawg-report-on-admissions-review-docs.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a> documented a crisis: between 2020 and 2025, the number of incoming\u00a0students with math skills below high-school level surged\u00a0nearly thirtyfold.\u00a0Roughly 70\u00a0percent\u00a0of\u00a0these\u00a0students\u00a0had math skills\u00a0below <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elite-san-francisco-school-nixes-merit-based-admission\/\" title=\"Elite San Francisco School Nixes Merit-Based Admission\">middle school\u00a0levels<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>In late May 2026, UC mathematics and other\u00a0science\u00a0professors issued\u00a0an <a href=\"https:\/\/ucstudentsuccess.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">open letter<\/a>, declaring:\u00a0\u201cBasic mathematical fluency is analogous to literacy; without it, success in university-level STEM becomes structurally unattainable.\u201d\u00a0They highlighted instructors reteaching middle\u00a0school material and warned that widening preparation gaps polarize classrooms and undermine advanced instruction. The disadvantaged\u00a0students\u00a0leftists\u00a0claim to champion are suffering the most, threatening California\u2019s future workforce and innovation. <\/p>\n<p>More than 1,250 UC faculty members have now\u00a0signed the letter, signaling a significant consensus on this issue. In a recent Wall Street Journal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/opinion\/the-university-of-california-needs-the-sat-back-711afae7?mod=opinion_lead_pos7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">op-ed<\/a>, UC Berkeley mathematicians Svetlana\u00a0Jitomirskaya\u00a0and Zvezdelina Stankova acknowledge the\u00a0dangers of admissions offices falling prey to\u00a0\u201cideological capture,\u201d\u00a0and urge\u00a0an immediate\u00a0return to honest evaluation processes.  <\/p>\n<p>The question now is whether UC leadership will act on this\u00a0failure. The UC Academic Senate\u2019s Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/news\/faculty\/learning-assessment\/2026\/05\/29\/hundreds-math-professors-ask-uc-bring-back-satact\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is set to discuss<\/a> these issues\u00a0on\u00a0June 5,\u00a0but real change requires more than discussion. <\/p>\n<p>Accountability in public institutions, such as the University of California, goes beyond simply issuing statements or forming another committee. It requires leaders to confront evidence of policy failures, make\u00a0timely\u00a0corrections, and take responsibility for the consequences\u00a0students face. <\/p>\n<p>UC leadership must publicly acknowledge that\u00a0its\u00a0test-blind admissions policy, implemented against faculty recommendations, has contributed to a decline in student preparedness. They should\u00a0immediately\u00a0reinstate objective standardized testing for STEM admissions. Additionally,\u00a0it should undertake a\u00a0transparent review of how equity ideology overshadowed empirical evidence in 2020, ensuring\u00a0similar overrides do not happen again. <\/p>\n<p>When failures are this severe, true accountability\u00a0includes\u00a0consequences\u00a0for leadership. The current UC leadership, including President James Milliken and the Board of Regents, has inherited this policy. They now face\u00a0a clear choice:\u00a0reverse course\u00a0based on the data or continue owning the consequences.  <\/p>\n<p>If they ignore the faculty letter and SAWG report, the public should demand resignations. Leaders who persist with failed ideological experiments while students fall behind lose credibility to guide California\u2019s premier public university system. Other institutions still clinging to test-blind or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/test-optional-policies-possibly-driving-rebound-in-college-applications-following-covid-19\/\" title=\"\u2018Test-Optional\u2019 Policies Possibly Driving Rebound In College Applications Following COVID-19\">test-optional policies<\/a> should take note and reverse course before more students \u2014 and the citizens who may rely on their services \u2014 pay the price. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&#038;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&#038;qid=1606079469&#038;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#038;qid=1606006113&#038;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Not-Outsiders-Americans-political-activism\/dp\/1736008552\">Not Outsiders: Asian Americans\u2019 political activism from the 19th century to today<\/a>.\u201d Follow her on Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 1,200 UC faculty urge SAT\/ACT math testing reinstatement for STEM<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2610529,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nguyen-dang-hoang-nhu-cbEvoHbJnIE-unsplash-e1780521231542.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[5152,80817,5069],"class_list":["post-2610528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-education","tag-education-inequality","tag-race"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nguyen-dang-hoang-nhu-cbEvoHbJnIE-unsplash-e1780521231542.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2610528"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610528\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2610532,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610528\/revisions\/2610532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2610529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2610528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2610528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2610528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}