In December 2015 the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) swept through Congress, largely unopposed by leaders. Years from now, the ESSA will be remembered as the catalyst that sparked a movement that helped to move away from the standardised SAT/ACT tests.

ESSA, which is set to begin during the 2017–18 school year, requires states to conduct standardized testing for students in grades 3 through 8 and again in high school. Local school districts who have received permission from the state may choose to use either the SAT or ACT tests to fulfill the high school testing requirement.

In the minds of many, this lifts a significant burden off of state and local education officials to create for themselves new standardized tests, which can often cost millions of dollars and several years to develop and implement.