Alabama Seeks Federal Approval for Alternative Career Readiness Testing

August 4, 2026 - 04:37

OXFORD, Ala. - Alabama education officials are requesting federal permission to use WorkKeys assessments as an alternative to traditional ACT scores for measuring student success, a move they believe will better reflect the skills of students entering the workforce directly after high school.

The proposal comes as state leaders argue that the current reliance on ACT scores fails to capture the full picture of student achievement, particularly for those who do not plan to attend college. WorkKeys, developed by ACT itself, focuses on workplace skills such as applied mathematics, reading for information, and locating information, which educators say are more relevant for career-bound students.

State Superintendent Eric Mackey said the change would allow schools to offer students multiple pathways to demonstrate readiness, rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach. Under the current system, all students take the ACT, and those scores are used for federal accountability metrics. The new plan would permit students to substitute WorkKeys results in certain circumstances, potentially boosting overall school performance ratings.

The request now sits with the U.S. Department of Education for review. If approved, Alabama would join a small number of states experimenting with alternative assessment models. Supporters argue this aligns with broader workforce development goals, while critics worry it could weaken academic standards or create inconsistencies across districts. The state has not yet announced a timeline for when a decision might come.