In Part II, we examined how the language of “merit” has long been used to disguise systemic barriers that disproportionately exclude BIPOC, low-income, and immigrant communities. Standardized testing became a cornerstone of this exclusion– a seemingly objective metric masking generations of inequity. But now, in Part III, we shift toward the present and the possibilities ahead. As cracks form in the foundation of test-based meritocracy, a new wave of educators, students, and advocates are reimagining what success looks like. From test-optional policies and culturally responsive pedagogy to grassroots movements demanding equity, the push to redefine merit is gaining momentum. This isn’t just a fight over education – it’s a challenge to who holds power, how we define intelligence, and what we choose to value in one another.
Despite the entrenchment of standardized testing, cracks in the system are forming. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift: over 1,800 colleges went test-optional or test-blind, including the entire University of California system. Their findings? Eliminating the SAT did not reduce academic quality– but it did increase diversity and equity in admissions. Grassroots organizations are pushing back harder. Groups like FairTest, the National Center for Fair & Open Testing and local education justice coalitions are reframing the conversation: What if we evaluated students based on lived experience, resilience, creativity, and community impact – rather than numerical abstraction? Educators are also demanding a shift in pedagogy. Culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed education, and restorative justice practices are gaining momentum, acknowledging that intellect and learning thrive in environments of inclusion, not competition.
What if merit wasn’t about outperforming others, but about rising within the community? What if our systems honored emotional intelligence, collaboration, and vision? Imagine college applications that weigh a student’s role as a caretaker or as an organizer fighting food insecurity in their neighborhood. Imagine employers who seek out critical thinking nurtured in real-world settings rather than exclusive classrooms. Redefining merit also means redefining success. It means shifting from individual accolades to collective progress. It’s time to switch from asking, “What did you score?” to asking instead, “What did you change?” This isn’t idealism – it’s justice.
At its heart, this is not a conversation about testing – it’s about power. It’s about who gets to be called brilliant, and who is told to try harder. It’s about how we measure value, and who we uplift in the process. Carl Brigham and those who followed him built a system designed to crown certain people as “meritorious” and render others invisible. But visibility is power– and today’s students, educators, and activists are reclaiming that power by challenging the very foundations of meritocracy. If we want a future where talent is truly recognized – across every ZIP code, color and income bracket – then we must dismantle the illusions of neutrality and rebuild systems that honor every kind of intelligence.
Because in truth, merit was never a measure of worth – it was a mirror reflecting the status quo. It’s time we shatter it.