Promoting Classical Learning Act of 2025

The Promoting Classical Learning Act of 2025 aims to expand the use and recognition of the Classic Learning Test (CLT) in federal educational institutions. The bill seeks to establish the CLT as an alternative standardized test option alongside the SAT and ACT for admission to U.S. Service Academies, and mandates its administration in schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. This legislation represents an effort to promote classical education approaches and diversify standardized testing options in federally-affiliated educational systems.

The bill contains three main provisions. First, it requires the Secretary of Defense to ensure that all Service Academies accept CLT scores as part of admission applications, in addition to SAT and ACT scores. Second, it mandates that the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity require schools under its purview to administer the CLT to eleventh-grade students. Third, it similarly requires the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education to mandate CLT administration for eleventh-grade students in schools funded or operated by the Bureau. These provisions are designed to integrate the CLT into federal education systems and expand its use as a standardized testing option.

The bill assigns implementation responsibilities to three key federal entities: the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Director of the Bureau of Indian Education. These officials are tasked with ensuring compliance within their respective jurisdictions. However, the bill does not specify detailed implementation timelines, funding mechanisms, or enforcement provisions. The lack of these details suggests that the responsible agencies would need to develop their own implementation plans and potentially seek additional guidance or funding to execute the bill's mandates.

The primary beneficiaries of this legislation would be students who prefer or perform better on the CLT, as they would gain expanded opportunities to use these scores for Service Academy admissions. The bill would also impact a significant number of eleventh-grade students in Department of Defense and Bureau of Indian Education schools, who would be required to take the CLT. This could potentially affect their college preparation and application strategies. The administrative burden would fall on the Service Academies and the affected schools, which would need to integrate CLT administration and consideration into their existing processes. While the bill aims to promote classical learning approaches, its actual impact on educational outcomes remains uncertain without further study. The legislation does not include any sunset provisions, suggesting these changes are intended to be permanent.

The bill operates within the federal government's authority over military service academies and federally operated or funded schools. It amends existing practices rather than creating new statutory authorities. The legislation does not appear to preempt state or local laws, as it focuses solely on federal institutions. There are no explicit provisions for judicial review. The bill's requirements would likely need to be implemented through internal policies and regulations within the affected agencies and institutions.

Several critical issues arise from this legislation. First, there may be concerns about equity and access, as the CLT is less widely available than the SAT or ACT, potentially disadvantaging students without easy access to CLT testing centers. Second, the bill mandates the use of a specific private test (the CLT) in federal institutions, which could raise questions about government endorsement of private educational products. Third, the lack of implementation details and funding provisions could lead to challenges in executing the bill's requirements. Finally, there may be opposition from advocates of secular education, as the CLT is associated with classical and often religious educational approaches. The bill's impact on educational outcomes and college readiness would need to be carefully monitored to assess its effectiveness.