Buckwalter said that the NCAA could meet its goal of higher graduation rates by using SAT scores together with grade-point averages in core subjects. Athletes who do not meet the requirements have been prevented from playing or practicing, or receiving athletic scholarships as freshmen. Four black student-athletes who were denied eligibility to take part in college sports challenged the rule. The NCAA will ask for a stay of the decision while they appeal. Parents say most African American children do not attend good schools, and many black parents see the situation as a crisis.
Test scores are one of the most controversial areas of education coverage.