Committee on Children
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: SB-285
AN ACT CONCERNING STUDENT INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH
Title: COLLEGE ADMISSIONS EXAMINATIONS.
Vote Date: 3/10/2020
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 3/3/2020
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Committee on Children
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill prevents testing companies from selling any personal information they gather without
written consent.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
None expressed.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
None expressed.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Yale University
Yale University opposes this bill. They believe it would stop the College Board and other
organizations from sharing test scores from third parties, colleges and universities included.
This bill could hinder Yale's efforts to recruit high-achieving students from lower-income
backgrounds. Without the ability to access this data Yale believes that thousands of students
each year would miss an opportunity to attend.
Vern Granger Director of Admissions, University of Connecticut
The University of UConn opposes this bill while recognizing the intent to be good. Colleges
and universities such as UConn use this information as the primary source of information in
identifying talented and diverse student bodies. Through this process, students also learn of
opportunities they were currently unaware of. They also worry that the added step of getting
parental or a guardians consent will lead to less students taking the tests.
Shane Ciccarelli, Associate Dean of Admission; University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is testifying against this bill which will only raise extra barriers to
those seeking secondary education. The information gathered from these testing services are
considered a critical tool in recruitment of potential students, both from in Connecticut and
from out of the state. The University of Hartford does not share any of the information they
receive with anyone.
Ashley Gibson Director, State Government Relations; College Board
The College Board is testifying in opposition of this legislation., They consider getting
parental consent to be another barrier in going to college. The information gathered goes into
College Boards Student Search Service (Search), to which access is limited, and helps
students discover colleges and universities they may not have considered. It is also important
to note that students opt in and have the option to opt out at any point.
Reported by: Peter Murszewski Date: 4/1/2020
Page 2 of 2 SB-285


Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-222f