The College Board lashed out last week at its rival, ACT Inc., saying its plan to add live teaching to its online test-prep service is more about money than public service, and accusing ACT of trying to “replace” classroom teachers with long-distance instruction.
The accusations were sparked by ACT’s announcement that it had teamed up with Kaplan Test Prep to add a live-instruction element to its existing lineup of test-prep services.
ACT and the College Board are in an increasingly pitched battle for shares of the college-entrance-exam and test-prep markets. But the College Board’s reaction to ACT’s announcement marked a sharp change in tone and substance.
ACT responded by saying that it hoped to provide “the highest-quality preparation available for the lowest possible cost and for free for low-income students.”
