FAQs

• Are there any practice test materials?
  Answer: Digital resources are available for students on the College Board’s Digital Test website including a bluebook digital sample test.  Schools can also request large print or braille SAT practice tests for students by contacting the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).  Additionally, students may access free online SAT practice through Khan Academy. 
• Do English learners/Multilingual learners need to take the test?
  Answer: English learner/Multilingual learner students are required to take the Connecticut SAT School Day, including recently arrived EL/ML students. Guidance is available concerning testing recently arrived EL/ML students. Note: ELs/MLs may be eligible for certain language supports, including an accommodation for up to time and one-half (50%) extended time, if appropriate. Please refer to the CSDE Assessment Guidelines, the CT SAT School Day Accessibility Chart, and the Supports for English Learners webpage for more information.
• Who is required to take the exam?
  Answer: Connecticut General Statute’s 10-14n requires all grade 11 students who attend public school are required to take the Connecticut SAT School Day.  This includes all grade 11 students in PSIS that attend public schools and private special education facilities in-state and out of state. A small number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities do not take the CT SAT School Day because they qualify for the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System per their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

• Who is eligible for accommodations?
  Answer:

  Students eligible to receive accommodations on the CT SAT School Day are those students who have an active and finalized Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan in CT-SEDS. These formal plans define what services are provided to students with disabilities (or medical needs), including how they may best access statewide assessments. English learners/multilingual learners who do not have an IEP or Section 504 Plan may also qualify for certain language supports and up to time and one-half (50%) extended time, if appropriate. Students who are eligible to receive accommodations on the CT SAT School Day must be identified under IDEA or Section 504 in the CSDE Public School Information System (PSIS) Registration Module.

• Answer:
• Can students be medically exempt?
  Answer:

  The exemption determination for a medical emergency for the CT SAT School Day rest primarily on the following criteria: The student is unable to attend school and is medically/emotionally unavailable for homebound/hospitalized instruction during the testing window (March 3-April 23, 2025). The Testing Coordinator/District Administrator should contact Deirdre Ducharme at deirdre.ducharme@ct.gov or via phone at 860-713-6859. Refer to Appendix C of the  CSDE Assessment Guidelines for more information.

• Do students need any materials prior to testing?
  Answer: Encourage your students to review the SAT School Day Student Guide to become familiar with the test and to make sure they understand SAT policies and regulations before they take the test. Remind students that there is no penalty for guessing.  Students should also discuss with their family which colleges they wish to send scores in advance of the preadministration session. There are two ways for students to practice: test previews and a full-length practice test.  
• Are there resources available to help teachers understand the test?
  Answer: The College Board has various resources that provide detailed information about the test and to assist teachers in preparing students to take the SAT.  An SAT Question bank is also available for teachers to use. Use the SAT Suite Question Bank (SSQB) to create custom, targeted question sets and improve instruction. The question bank lets educators access over 3,500 questions from the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9 assessments.
• What accommodations and supports are available for students?
  Answer: There are a variety of accommodations available for students who are in special education or 504 students.  There are also supports for EL students.  The CSDE’s Assessment Guidelines describes some of the accommodations available.
• How do I test students in my district in PSIS who are enrolled in approved special education facilities?
  Answer: Private approved special education facilities have been set-up as test centers and test students at their schools.
• Are there resources to help interpret results?
  Answer: Information about understanding SAT scores can be found on the College Board’s web site.  
• How can schools and districts access results?
  Answer: Schools and districts can access school and individual student level results in the College Board’s K-12 Reporting Portal.  Users must have a College Board account.  The CSDE’s EdSight provides state, district and school level results and EdSight Secure (account required) also provides individual student results.
• How do I apply for accommodations for students?
  Answer: All applications for accommodations for the Connecticut SAT School Day are requested through the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) online system. The person in a school who is responsible for registering a student with College Board to receive accommodations during testing is the SSD Coordinator. The SSD Coordinator is the key person in a school in coordinating all activities around accommodations. Typically there is one SSD Coordinator who is the primary SSD Coordinator but if needed you may have more than one to help in the process. You must be registered through the College Board‘s SSD system as an SSD Coordinator to enter accommodations in to the SSD online system. New SSD Coordinators may register online to become a SSD Coordinator. SSD Coordinators should review student IEPs and Section 504 Plans in CT-SEDS to ensure that plans are still active and implemented, and cross- check accommodations between SSD Online and CT-SEDS. (CT-SEDS and SSD Online do not sync). Accommodations in CT-SEDS should be requested in SSD for approval for use on the CT SAT School Day. Please contact the student’s Case Manager if there are questions about accommodations documented in CT-SEDS. Refer to your school’s SSD Coordinator for detailed information about College Board accommodations and associated policies and procedures.
• How do I report a test irregularity that occurred during testing?
  Answer:

  After testing is completed, you and your staff may need to report irregularities and prepare for retests. Please refer to the Retesting and Irregularities Guide for comprehensive instructions.

• Can students cancel their scores from the Connecticut SAT School Day?
  Answer:

  A student can completely remove the score from the Connecticut SAT School Day from the student’s College Board record of SAT scores by doing the following:

  • The Test Coordinator can submit the request to cancel a student's score by submitting an irregularity report in Test Day Toolkit OR the student can call College Board customer service at 866-756-7346.                                                         
  • The deadline to completely remove scores is the fifth week day after testing ends.
  • SAT scores from the Connecticut SAT School Day will still be used by the CSDE for school and district accountability purposes.
• Can I test students in grades 9, 10 or 12?
  Answer: Schools must test students listed in Grade 11 in PSIS.  Schools may not test students in Grade 9, 10 or 12.
• How do I test students from my district in PSIS who are enrolled in state non-approved schools or out of state facilities?
  Answer:

  Connecticut public school districts are responsible to test students in the Public School Information System (PSIS) who are enrolled in out-of-state facilities or enrolled in in state non-approved schools. Refer to the Testing Students in PSIS who Attend Out-of-State or  Non-Approved Facilities for details about administering the NGSS and Smarter Balanced Assessments and the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System.

• Where can I get help during the test administration for situations that arise during testing?
  Answer:
  Contact the College Board at 855-373-6387 or satschoolday@collegeboard.org
  Contact the CSDE at 860-713-6748 or michelle.rosado@ct.gov
• Do students get free college score sends for taking the Connecticut SAT School Day?
  Answer: By participating in the CT SAT School Day, students can send their test scores to up to four colleges, universities, or scholarship programs for free.  Students will enter their four free score sends during the pre-administration session of the test.  Additional score sends (available for a fee) can only be sent online through the student’s College Board account.  Students from low income families get unlimited free score sends through their College Board account by using a SAT School Day Fee Waiver. The flyer Sending Your Scores provides students with the codes for public colleges and universities in Connecticut.
• What are College Board fee waivers?
  Answer: Eligible students who take the Connecticut SAT School Day can take advantage of the benefits of the College Board’s fee waiver program that includes unlimited free score sends and college application fee waivers.  Schools will receive information about fee waivers closer to test day. 
• Is there a parent letter to send with information about testing?
  Answer: There are parent letters available that schools can personalize.  The letter is available in English and Spanish.
• Do I have to register students taking the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System in place of the Connecticut SAT School Day?
  Answer:

  No. The Planning and Placement Team must complete the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System Eligibility Form which is embedded within the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in CT-SEDS. This form must be completed yearly at the student’s Planning and Placement Team meeting. If PPTs complete the eligibility form and select the Verification checkbox within CT-SEDS and the IEP is finalized and implemented, the student will be officially identified as qualifying for alternate assessments. For more information, please refer to the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System Eligibility Form webpage and the CT-SEDS/TIDE Sync FAQ.

• How can students access results?
  Answer: Students can access their results using their College Board account.  Students can create an account if they do not have one.
• How do I access the exam for my students?
  Answer:

  School districts will access the digital SAT through the College Board’s TDTK and students through Bluebook. More information can be found on the College Board’s Digital SAT website.

• How do I create a roster for test day?
  Answer:

  Test coordinators have the option of creating student rosters in Test Day Toolkit. Many schools use the roster feature to list which students are assigned to each testing room and to print test tickets by room. Go to cb.org/bluebook-test-admin for step-by-step instructions on Test Day Toolkit setup.

• What is assessed?
  Answer: The Connecticut SAT has two sections: evi­dence-based reading and writing and math­ematics. The evidence-based reading and writing section includes a reading test and a writing and language test. 
  
• How long does it take to administer?
  Answer: The test takes 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time for each student, however schools should add additional time for pre-administration and post administration activities. Please consult the Test Coordinator manual for specifics.
• Is there training available to administer the test?
  Answer: Test Coordinators must participate in online training in preparation for administering the Connecticut SAT School Day. The Test Coordinator Manual and Implementation Handbook provide information for administration. Links to the training materials can be found on the CSDE SAT web site.
• Do I have to register my students to take the test?
  Answer: Registration for the Connecticut SAT School Day is handled by the CSDE and College Board.  All grade 11 students in PSIS are registered for the test. All grade 11 students who are registered in PSIS are rostered for the CT SAT School Day unless they meet eligibility criteria for the Connecticut Alternate Assessment System per their implemented IEP.
• What is PSIS and what does it have to do with testing?
  Answer:

  Data from the Public School Information System (PSIS) is used to create registration files for the Connecticut SAT School Day.  It is important that districts maintain an updated data base in PSIS because PSIS is the sole source for Connecticut SAT School Day registration.  

  Administrators responsible for statewide testing will need to work with their District PSIS Coordinator to ensure that accurate student information is being reported in the PSIS Registration Module. For more information, refer to the December 2024 edition of the Student Assessment Newsletter.

   

• What materials do students need for testing?
  Answer: The Desmos calculator is embedded in Bluebook and is available for all students taking the math subtests. A handheld calculator that meets the College Board’s approved list of calculators may also be used during testing. Students may not use electronic devices (i.e., cell phone, smart watch, etc.,) in the testing room. Scrap paper should also be provided. Refer to the Test Coordinator Manual for details.
• What should be done for special cases of sudden physical disability?
  Answer:

  One exception to the IEP or 504 requirement is for students who have had a physical injury (e.g., broken hand or arm) that impairs their ability to type. For these situations, please contact the CSDE for further information.

  A variety of accommodations are available for students with an active and implemented IEP or Section 504 Plan. Accommodations, including the use of assistive technology, should be requested in SSD online. If a student encounters a temporary medical condition, such as a broken hand or arm, temporary accommodations can be requested in SSD online as well. Refer to the CT SAT School Day Accessibility Chart, the CSDE Assessment Guidelines and the Accommodations and Assistive Technology - Bluebook | College Board webpage.

• When is the exam administered in 2025?
  Answer:

  The test will be administered from March 3- April 23, 2025. Schools can use all of these days to administer the test digitally.  All students do no need to be tested on the same day.

• Where can I get further information?
  Answer:

  Further resources can be found on the CSDE’s Connecticut SAT School Day web page including translated test directions and the list of approved word-to-word glossaries for EL students and the College Board SAT web site.

  Contact the College Board Connecticut SAT School Day Customer Support 866-609-2205 or ctsat@collegeboard.org.

  Contact the CSDE at 860-713-6856 or michelle.rosado@ct.gov. 

• Where do I find information about administering the test?
  Answer: Information regarding administering the Connecticut SAT School Day is found in the Coordinator’s Manual, Accommodated Testing Manual and Standard Testing Manual.