Due to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are several changes to the in-school PSAT administration for the 2020–21 school year. 

High School PSAT 

Leander ISD 10th and 11th-grade students (virtual and in-person) will have the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT exam on Oct. 29 at their home campuses. Students are strongly encouraged to take the PSAT, as it prepares them for the SAT, is a qualifier for ACC dual credit courses, and allows high school juniors to compete for National Merit scholarships. 

Those students who do not wish to take the PSAT on Oct. 29 may complete an opt-out survey. Each campus will either provide the survey on their website or will send it through a campus Smore newsletter. The College Board does not allow students to take the PSAT at home. 

In order to accommodate 10th and 11th-grade students with a safe testing environment, all students (virtual and in-person) in ninth and 12th grades will work asynchronously from home on Oct. 29. All high school students who are not taking the PSAT on their home campus on Oct. 29 will work asynchronously from home on that day. 

Adhering to COVID safety measures, ninth-grade students will not be given the PSAT this school year in order to accommodate 10th and 11th-grade students with the safest environment possible. Ninth-grade students will, however, be given the opportunity to take a practice PSAT on Oct 29 while working asynchronously from home. They will also be able to take the PSAT in both 10th and 11th grades. 

More information regarding the PSAT will be provided by each high school campus. 

Eighth-grade PSAT 

In past years, eighth-grade students in Leander ISD were administered the PSAT 8/9 as part of the College Board’s SAT Suite of Assessments. Due to social distancing considerations and the limited availability of proctors, this exam will not be given to eighth-grade students this school year. 

The College Board does not allow students to take the PSAT at home. Current eighth-grade students will have an opportunity to take the PSAT 8/9 in ninth grade.