An Act to amend 36.11 (3) (a); to create 36.11 (3r) of the statutes; Relating to: admission to University of Wisconsin System institutions.
Summary
AB1005 would change how undergraduate admissions are handled across University of Wisconsin System institutions. The bill keeps the existing guaranteed admission program for qualifying Wisconsin high school students, but otherwise directs the UW Board of Regents to make undergraduate admission decisions predominantly based on college entrance exam performance or similar objective testing measures, such as the ACT, SAT, or comparable regional or national college-readiness tests.
The bill would amend current law governing UW System admissions by adding a new statutory subsection requiring objective criteria in admissions policy. It would apply first to applications for the 2027-28 academic year, giving institutions time to adjust admissions practices and policies. The bill does not alter the prohibition on sectarian, partisan, race-based, religion-based, national-origin-based, or sex-based admissions tests already in law; instead, it narrows the admissions framework by emphasizing standardized testing for most applicants.
Impact
AB1005 would directly affect Wisconsin Statutes section 36.11, which governs University of Wisconsin System admissions policy. It would require the Board of Regents and UW institutions to align undergraduate admissions decisions more closely with standardized test scores or similar objective measures, except for students admitted through the guaranteed admission pathway. The practical effect would be to reduce institutional discretion in admissions and potentially change the applicant evaluation process at UW campuses beginning with the 2027-28 admissions cycle.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been supported by a majority in the Assembly, passing 52-45 on third reading, indicating substantial but not overwhelming support. However, the bill ultimately did not become law, as its last action was failure to pass notwithstanding the Governor’s objections under Joint Rule 82. The available record suggests the measure was politically contentious, with clear partisan division reflected in the floor vote and the gubernatorial objection.
Contention
The main point of contention is the bill’s mandate that admissions decisions be predominantly based on standardized test performance or similar objective measures. Supporters likely viewed this as a way to make admissions more uniform and merit-based, while opponents likely objected that it would constrain holistic review and could disadvantage applicants affected by test access, cost, or performance disparities. Another likely area of dispute is the bill’s interaction with the existing guaranteed admission program, which remains intact but is carved out from the new testing-based requirement.