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6 Practical Tips for Kentucky Schools Transitioning from ACT to SAT

  • November 18, 2025

Kentucky schools are entering a new chapter this spring as juniors statewide prepare to take the SAT instead of the ACT. For many educators, the shift brings a mix of curiosity, uncertainty, and opportunity. While the SAT looks and feels different from the ACT, teachers can begin weaving SAT-aligned practice into existing instruction right away.

“This shift brings new opportunities, new tools, and of course, some questions,” Amy Hudson, Instructional Delivery Specialist at MasteryPrep, said at a recent webinar.

Here are six practical, high-impact tips to help Kentucky educators support students as they transition to the SAT.

  • Use Bell Ringers for Daily SAT Exposure

Short daily warmups—like a single reading question, a quick grammar item, or one math problem—help students grow familiar with the SAT’s pacing, reasoning demands, and digital question styles.

Unlike on the ACT, the SAT Reading and Writing section features one short passage per question. Incorporating this format into bell ringers helps students grow familiar with the assessment over time.

“These quick warmups help students build comfort with the test’s question formats, pacing, and reasoning skills, all in just a few minutes a day,” Hudson says.

  • Add Challenge Questions to Quizzes

Enhance existing quizzes by adding one or two higher-order or multistep questions modeled after SAT items. This stretches students’ analytical skills without requiring teachers to design entirely new assessments.

For a deeper integration, teachers can occasionally format whole quizzes using SAT-style stems—data interpretation in math, evidence-based reading in ELA, or targeted revision questions—to reinforce the test’s expectations.

  • Incorporate Mini-Tests to Build Stamina

Mini-tests with five to seven SAT-style questions allow students to practice pacing and strategy in short bursts. They can familiarize students with the SAT’s module format and are ideal for use between units, as sub-plans, or as basic checkpoints.

“Students have full control over how they use their time,” Hudson says of the SAT. “They can revisit previous questions, preview upcoming questions, and go back and change answers within that module as long as time remains.”

Hudson emphasized the value of pairing mini-tests with explicit strategy instruction—such as process of elimination, managing time within modules, and never leaving questions blank.

“Students have full control over how they use their time. They can revisit previous questions, preview upcoming questions, and go back and change answers within that module as long as time remains."

Amy Hudson, Instructional Delivery Specialist, MasteryPrep
  • Use Open-Book or Reference-Based Tasks

Open-book prompts build the analytical habits the SAT rewards. Instead of focusing on memorization, students must pull evidence, interpret information, and justify reasoning—mirroring the SAT’s emphasis on careful reading and data analysis.

This approach also builds confidence, especially for students who may feel anxious about the new format.

  • Create Regular Reflection Checkpoints

Regular check-ins—written or verbal—help students reflect on questions such as:

  • What strategies worked?
  • Where did I struggle?
  • How did I approach harder items?

These reflections strengthen self-awareness, support stronger module-one performance, and help students internalize what effective test-taking looks like on the SAT.

“These checkpoints help students develop metacognitive skills, which is a crucial part of performing well,” Hudson says.

  • Set a Positive Tone

A confident classroom culture can help combat SAT test anxiety. Maintaining a positive, strategic mindset encourages students to approach the assessment with more buy-in and less fear.

“Encouraging positivity helps students stay confident, focused, and motivated, which can reduce anxiety and support stronger performance,” Hudson says.

This is especially important with the SAT’s adaptive structure, where strong performance on the first module opens the door to higher-scoring opportunities.

Kentucky’s move to the SAT offers schools a chance to strengthen digital testing readiness, align instruction with high-value skills, and introduce students to a format they’ll encounter in college and beyond. With small adjustments—like warmups, challenge questions, mini-tests, and reflection routines—teachers can build students’ confidence without overhauling their curriculum.

MasteryPrep supports schools with professional development, our SAT curriculum, practice testing, an adaptive online course and flexible Boot Camps tailored to full-test or single-section support. With the right strategies and support, Kentucky educators can help every junior step into the SAT feeling prepared, focused, and confident this spring.

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