CLT Test Louisiana Homeschool: How Act 347 Changed TOPS Eligibility

Until 2025, Louisiana homeschool families had one realistic path to TOPS scholarship eligibility: the ACT. The SAT was technically accepted, but Louisiana's college culture runs heavily ACT-oriented and LOSFA's documentation process is built around ACT scores. That changed when Act 347 (HB77) passed in the 2024 legislative session, mandating that the Classic Learning Test (CLT) be accepted alongside the ACT and SAT for both TOPS qualification and BESE renewal purposes.

This is significant for Louisiana homeschool families — not just because it adds a testing option, but because the CLT tests different content than the ACT, making it a better fit for students educated in classical or literature-heavy curricula. Here is what the change actually means, how CLT scoring maps to TOPS tiers, and how to decide whether the CLT makes strategic sense for your student.

What the CLT Tests

The Classic Learning Test is developed by Classic Learning Initiatives as an alternative to the ACT and SAT. Its content philosophy is grounded in the classical education tradition — it emphasizes reasoning, literary analysis, and engagement with primary texts rather than the kind of data-interpretation and science-passage content that dominates the current ACT.

The CLT has three sections:

Verbal Reasoning. Literary analysis of passages drawn primarily from classic literature and historical documents. Students analyze rhetoric, argument structure, and close textual meaning. The passage selection leans toward Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, Tocqueville, and similar canonical works — familiar territory for students in classical curricula, Charlotte Mason programs, or literature-intensive homeschool approaches.

Grammar and Writing. Sentence correction and editing tasks that test grammar, clarity, and usage in context. The CLT's grammar section is comparable in structure to the ACT English section, though passage style differs.

Quantitative Reasoning. Mathematics through pre-calculus, broadly equivalent in scope to the ACT Math section. Topics include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics. No calculus is tested.

The CLT scores on a scale of 120 points (40 per section). This is structurally different from the ACT's 36-point composite, which is why TOPS had to establish CLT-equivalent thresholds — you cannot directly compare a CLT 88 to an ACT 27 without a conversion table.

How CLT Scores Map to TOPS Awards

Act 347 directed LOSFA to establish CLT equivalency tables for each TOPS award tier. The current equivalencies for BESE Home Study students are:

These CLT thresholds are set by LOSFA and may be adjusted if subsequent research shows the initial concordance needs refinement. Families planning around a specific TOPS tier should verify the current equivalency tables on the LOSFA website rather than relying on any third-party source — including this post — as the sole reference point.

The TOPS Excellence Award, introduced by Act 347 simultaneously with the CLT acceptance, is worth noting. It provides full tuition at Louisiana public universities plus a $1,300 per semester stipend for books and expenses. To reach TOPS Excellence via the CLT, a student needs a 114 — a score requiring strong performance across all three sections, but achievable for well-prepared students in classical curricula.

How Act 359 Interacts with CLT Acceptance

Act 347 added CLT acceptance. Act 359 (HB378), passed in the same legislative cycle, removed the longstanding ACT score penalty that home study students faced when applying for TOPS.

Before Act 359, BESE Home Study students were required to score higher than public school students to receive the same TOPS tier. For example, a public school student needed ACT 20 for TOPS Opportunity, but a home study student needed ACT 22. That two-point penalty applied across all tiers.

Act 359 eliminated this disparity. BESE Home Study students now qualify for TOPS at the same ACT (and CLT) thresholds as public school students. The table above reflects these parity thresholds.

Both acts went into effect for the graduating class of 2025–2026. Any forum post, CHEF orientation guide, or blog article from before mid-2024 that cites home study TOPS score requirements is citing pre-parity thresholds that are now legally obsolete.

CLT Registration and TOPS Documentation

To have CLT scores counted for TOPS purposes, BESE Home Study students must register for the CLT using the Louisiana home study school code. LOSFA uses this code to flag the score report as belonging to a BESE Home Study student and process TOPS eligibility accordingly.

The home study school code for Louisiana is 969999. This code is used for both ACT and CLT registrations. Registering without this code does not invalidate the score, but it creates additional documentation steps when submitting the TOPS application to LOSFA. Using the correct code at registration is the cleanest approach.

CLT scores are reported to LOSFA directly by Classic Learning Initiatives when families list LOSFA as a score recipient during registration. The process is analogous to requesting ACT scores be sent to the scholarship office.

LOSFA requires TOPS applications and supporting documentation — including test scores and BESE enrollment records — to be submitted by January 15th following the year of graduation. Students who take the CLT in the fall of senior year must confirm their scores are received by LOSFA before this deadline.

Is the CLT Accepted for BESE Renewal?

Yes. Act 347 also mandated that CLT scores be accepted as a valid standardized test for the annual BESE Home Study renewal requirement — not just for TOPS purposes.

This means a high school student who takes the CLT and achieves a score demonstrating grade-level performance can submit that score for their BESE renewal in the same way they would submit an ACT score. The CLT covers the dual purpose (renewal and TOPS) that the ACT has historically served.

For elementary and middle school students, the CLT is a high school exam and does not apply for renewal purposes. Those grades continue to use the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test, California Achievement Test, or other nationally normed exams accepted by the LDOE.

CLT vs ACT: How to Decide

The choice between CLT and ACT is primarily a question of curriculum fit and testing strategy — not which test is universally easier or harder. Students who test better on one exam do not automatically test better on the other.

CLT may be the stronger choice if:

• Your student is in a classical, Charlotte Mason, or literature-intensive program and has read extensively from canonical texts. The CLT Verbal Reasoning section draws on exactly this material.
• Your curriculum is light on ACT-style science passages and data interpretation. The ACT Science section has no CLT equivalent, removing one source of ACT-specific test prep pressure.
• Your student demonstrates strong analytical reasoning in reading and writing but finds the ACT's standardized passage style less engaging.
• You want to explore a test where your student has a genuine comparative advantage from their educational background.

ACT may be the stronger choice if:

• Your student has taken standardized tests throughout their academic career and is familiar with ACT format, timing, and question style.
• Your high school curriculum includes strong math preparation aligned with ACT math content (pre-calculus breadth is similar, but question framing differs).
• You want maximum flexibility — the ACT is accepted at every US college and university, while CLT acceptance in college admissions is growing but not universal. For college applications beyond Louisiana public universities, the ACT remains the broader standard.
• Your student's target college or university lists ACT as preferred or required and does not yet accept the CLT.

Some families prepare for both and take both exams. Submitting whichever score is stronger is a legitimate strategy. Both are accepted by LOSFA, and many colleges now accept the CLT alongside the ACT.

What the CLT Looks Like Logistically

The CLT is offered through testing sites, online with remote proctoring, and at select home study cooperatives. It is available in full (all three sections) and in shorter CLT10 versions (a less comprehensive version intended for younger students in grades 3–10). For TOPS and BESE renewal purposes, the full CLT is the relevant exam.

Test registration happens through the Classic Learning Test website. There is no state-administered registration process in Louisiana — families register directly with CLT, indicate the Louisiana home study code, and select a testing location or remote proctoring option.

CLT test dates run throughout the year, with multiple administrations available. This scheduling flexibility is a practical advantage over the ACT's fixed national test dates, particularly for families who want to time test preparation around their academic calendar rather than around ACT's schedule.

TOPS Planning Checklist for CLT Users

If your student is using the CLT for TOPS eligibility, the documentation requirements are the same as for ACT-based TOPS, with CLT scores substituted:

• Register for the CLT using school code 969999
• Request score reporting to LOSFA during CLT registration
• Maintain continuous BESE approval records for 11th and 12th grade
• Submit the TOPS application to LOSFA by January 15th following graduation
• Confirm CLT concordance thresholds for your target TOPS tier on the LOSFA website before finalizing your testing plan

If you are tracking TOPS eligibility requirements, CLT score targets, and BESE documentation for a high school student, the Louisiana Portfolio & Assessment Templates includes a TOPS tracker updated for Act 347 and Act 359 requirements, plus the full BESE renewal documentation system for both portfolio and testing pathways.

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