In response to Governor Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 751, Dr. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Executive Director of EdTrust–West issued the following statement:

EdTrust-West applauds Governor Newsom for vetoing Assembly Bill 751, which would have permitted alternate assessments for 11th grade students and in doing so, dramatically increased the use of the SAT and ACT.

By vetoing AB 751, Governor Newsom made a bold statement that he will stand up for low-income students, students of color, and educational justice. By definition, college entry exams like the SAT and the ACT were designed to sort and weed out students. We agree with the Governor’s justification that this proposed shift was inequitable and would have undermined our state’s accountability system – the very tool that has been used to illuminate educational inequities for years. It would have made it harder for families, community leaders, and advocates to hold schools and districts accountable for giving all students the supports they need to thrive. 

Just as important as the outcome here is the process. Our elected officials have a responsibility to listen to students, educators, parents, and experts. By vetoing a bill that was opposed by more than 30 organizations advocating for educational justice, Governor Newsom showed he will do just that. We thank him, his team, and our advocacy partners, and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to accelerate progress toward educational justice for California students.