College Admission Use of National Test Score Report (Test-Optional) - Executive Summary and Report July 2026

Oct 15, 2026

Report detailing Colorado’s use of national assessment test score reporting in college admissions under a test-optional policy authorized and overseen by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Summarizes statutory context and the 2020 and 2021 legislative changes that removed a required national assessment score and allowed optional use for first-time freshmen. Presents comparative data across application, admissions, enrollment, and retention for 2019–20 versus 2021–22, while noting COVID-19 effects and challenges converting access gains into sustained enrollment outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Introduction

Statewide Test Score Requirements

Survey Results

Applications, Admissions, Enrollment & Retention Comparisons 2019 & 2021

Purpose and Analytical Framework

Methodology

Access & Applicant Behavior

Admissions Outcomes (Acceptance)

Enrollment Outcomes

Retention & Early Student Success Indicators

Conclusion

College Admission Use of National Test Score Report (Test-Optional) Report concerning a national assessment test score as an eligibility criterion for admission to a Colorado institution of higher education. 2026 The Colorado Department of Higher Education Report to the Education Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, or any successor committees. Statute: C. R.S. 23-1-113(10 .5)(a) The Colorado Department of Higher Education (DHE), under its own authority and through the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE), oversees and coordinates policy for 31 public institutions of higher education (including community colleges, independent local district colleges and local area technical colleges) and authorizes and regulates private colleges, universities and occupational schools. Mission – We support students, advocate and develop policies to maximize higher education opportunities for all. Vision – All Coloradans will have an education beyond high school to pursue their dreams and improve our communities. Prepared and submitted by the Colorado Department of Higher Education under the Executive Leadership of JB Holston Pursuant to the statutory authority of C. R.S. 23-1-113(10 .5)(a) July 2026 1600 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, CO 80202 For more information contact: Division of Student Success & Academic Affairs [CDHE@dhe.state.co. us](CDHE@dhe.state.co. us) Executive Summary In 2020 House Bill 20-1407 passed, temporarily allowing Colorado four-year institutions of higher education to determine whether to require a national assessment test score (NATS) as an eligibility criterion for admission for first-time freshman students who graduated from high school in 2021. On May 25, 2021, Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 21-1067 into law. The legislation removed the requirement for NATS and made it optional for Colorado’s public four-year colleges and universities to require test scores as part of the admissions process. As a result, four-year institutions were permitted to make admissions decisions without considering SAT or ACT scores, and applicants were given the option to determine whether their test scores would be included in their application materials. This admissions practice is commonly referred to as “test-optional.” All 13 public four-year colleges and universities in Colorado confirmed adoption of a test-optional admissions policy. This legislation also required the Department to publish a report “intended to determine whether requiring or not requiring a national assessment test score as an eligibility criterion for the admissions process…provides greater diversity among institutions without causing negative student outcomes that are directly attributable to the change in the admissions process. (C. R.S. 23-1-113(10 .5)(a) .” This report presents the data related to student application submissions, admissions, enrollments, and retention comparing data from institutions prior to the policy adoption (academic year 2019-20) to data from four-year institutions after the policy adoption (academic year 2021-22) . COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions likely influenced admissions and enrollment outcomes, making it difficult to isolate or directly attribute observed changes to the policy alone. Bottom Line • Access increased at the application and admissions stages overall applications increasing from 134,748 to 153,441 (13 .9%), though, this report does not attribute those results directly to testoptional policy • Gains present in admissions, with first‑time freshman acceptances increased from 101,208 in 2019 to 124,617 in 2021, an increase of 23,409 admitted students (23 . 1%) • Primary challenge is converting expanded access into enrollment and retention, though students were not negatively impacted according to early success indicators such as retention Table of Contents Executive Summary.................................................................

FAQs

What does the report evaluate regarding test-optional admissions in Colorado?

The report evaluates whether requiring or not requiring a national assessment test score as an admissions eligibility criterion affects outcomes such as institutional diversity and student results.

What legislative changes led to Colorado’s test-optional policy?

House Bill 20-1407 initially allowed a temporary option, and House Bill 21-1067 signed May 25, 2021 removed the requirement and made national assessment test scores optional for Colorado public four-year institutions.

What overall admissions and access trends does the report highlight?

The report notes increased application and admissions access overall, with first-time freshman acceptances rising from 2019 to 2021, while emphasizing that expanding access does not automatically translate into enrollment and retention.

Oct 15, 2026

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