The ACT College &

Career Readiness

System

Bloom Township High School District – January 7, 2013

Contact ACT:

Chris MitchellSenior Consultant

ACT Midwest Regional Office300 Knightsbridge Parkway, Suite 300

Lincolnshire, IL 60069

847/634-2560 ● FAX: 847/634-3410

chris.mitchell@ACT.org

A Question for All:

What do I know about ACT?• Not for Profit

• Mission Driven

• Research

• Achievement Based

A Question for All:

What is College and Career Readiness?

Ensuring that all students, graduating from high school, have acquired the skills in English,

mathematics, reading, and science that they need to be ready for entry-level college courses without

remediation

ACT College & Career Readiness SystemPlanning for

School Improvement

Improving Course Rigor

Measuring Student Progress Toward

College and Career Readiness

Research

EXPLORE

8th & 9th grade

curriculum-based

educational and career planning program

PLAN

10th grade curriculum-

based educational and career planning program

The ACT

11th & 12th grade

curriculum-based

measurement for learning outcomes

ENGAGE

Middle and High School assessment

that measures factors of academic success

QualityCore

Research-driven

solutions for strengthening curriculum & instruction

CoreWork Diagnostics

Online service to diagnose and

improve content and practice areas

ACT College Readiness Standards

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks ACT Core Course

Standards

WorkKeys

Job skill assessments and portable credentials necessary for career

pathways

College & Career Readiness Information System

Core Practice Audit

Online service to diagnose and

improve content and practice areas

College & Career Readiness Vocabulary

ACT’s College Readiness Standards

• Narrative Description of what students need to know and be able to do

• Reflect a Common Continuum of Achievement• Progressive Model of Student Progress from Middle to

High School• Reflect Student Strengths/Weaknesses• Evaluate Student Readiness for Next Levels of Learning

www.act.org/standard/instruct/pdf/CollegeReadinessStandardsTables.pdf

College Readiness StandardsCollege Readiness

Standards Intervals1-12

13-1516-1920-2324-2728-3233-36

www.act.org/commoncore

Through collaborative research with postsecondary institutions nationwide, ACT has established the following college readiness benchmarks*:

* Minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding first-year credit-bearing college course.

DEFINE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSCollege Readiness Benchmark Scores

Test College Course ACT

English English Composition 18

Math College Algebra 22

Reading Social Science 21

Science Biology 24

Test College Course EXPLORE 8 EXPLORE 9 PLAN 10 ACT COMPASS

English English Composition

Math College Algebra

Reading Social Science

Science Biology

13

17

15

20

14

18

16

20

15

19

17

21

18

22

21

24

77

52

88

NA

ACT Core Courses

April, 1983 – A Nation at RiskWe recommend that State and local high school graduation requirements be strengthened and that, at a minimum, all students seeking a diploma be required to lay the foundations in the Five New Basics by taking the following curriculum during their 4 years of high school: (a) 4 years of English; (b) 3 years of mathematics; (c) 3 years of science; (d) 3 years of social studies; and (e) one-half year of computer science. For the college-bound, 2 years of foreign language in high school are strongly recommended in addition to those taken earlier.

National Commission on Excellence in Education

ACT’s Educational

Planning and Assessment

System

ACT College & Career Readiness System

8th–9th GradeScore Scale: 1—25

Baseline Assessment Helps Increase PLAN

and ACT Scores Documents if Students

are On Track for College

8th–9th GradeScore Scale: 1—25

Baseline Assessment Helps Increase PLAN

and ACT Scores Documents if Students

are On Track for College

10th GradeScore Scale: 1—32

Midpoint Assessment Helps Increase ACT

Scores Documents if Students

are On Track for College

10th GradeScore Scale: 1—32

Midpoint Assessment Helps Increase ACT

Scores Documents if Students

are On Track for College

11th–12th GradeScore Scale: 1—36

Measures What Students Have Learned

Increases College Readiness When Used with EXPLORE & PLAN

Documents Readiness for College

11th–12th GradeScore Scale: 1—36

Measures What Students Have Learned

Increases College Readiness When Used with EXPLORE & PLAN

Documents Readiness for College

Longitudinal AssessmentsLongitudinal Assessments

9th–12th Grade

Instructional Improvement • End Of Course Assessments• Researched-Based Educator

Resources• Aligned Formative Item Pool• For 12 High School Core

Courses• Based on Empirical Research• Helps improve College

Readiness for ALL Students by ensuring High School Courses are Focused on Essential Postsecondary Skills

9th–12th Grade

Instructional Improvement • End Of Course Assessments• Researched-Based Educator

Resources• Aligned Formative Item Pool• For 12 High School Core

Courses• Based on Empirical Research• Helps improve College

Readiness for ALL Students by ensuring High School Courses are Focused on Essential Postsecondary Skills

InstructionInstruction

English, math, reading, science, optional Writing Test (ACT only)

Career and Educational Components

1-361-32

1-25

The EPAS Assessments - a Holistic View of the Student

• Academic Achievement Measures:

– English

– Math

– Reading

– Science Reasoning

• UNIACT Interest Inventory

• Plans and Background Information

• Needs Assessment

English Test

Measures students’ understanding of:

–Usage and Mechanics (punctuation, grammar and usage, and sentence structure)

–Rhetorical Skills (strategy, organization, and style)

Rhetorical Skills 15 (.38) 20 (.40) 35 (.47)

Usage and Mechanics 25(.63) 30(.60) 40(.53)

Strategy 5(.12) 6(.12) 12(.16)

Organization 5(.12) 7(.14) 11(.15)

Style 5(.12) 7(.12) 12(.16)

English TestAll Programs: 2 subscores

Total 40 50 75

Passages 4 4 5Passage Length 300 Words 300 Words 325 Words

EXPLORE PLAN ACTContent Area

Punctuation 6(.15) 7(.14) 10(.13)Grammar and Usage 8(.20) 9(.18) 12(.16)Sentence Structure 11(.28) 14(.28) 18(.24)

Mathematics Test

Measures students’ skills in:

– Analyzing problems in both real-world and purely mathematical settings

– Planning and carrying out mathematical strategies

– Verifying appropriateness of solutions

Mathematics TestPLAN: 2 sub scores; ACT: 3 sub scores

Basic Statistical/Probability Concepts 4 (.13)Pre Algebra 10 (.33) 14 (.35) 14 (.23)Elementary Algebra 9 (.30) 8 (.20) 10 (.17)Pre-Geometry 7 (.23)Plane Geometry 11 (.27) 14 (.23)Coordinate Geometry 7 (.18) 9 (.15)Intermediate Algebra 9 (.15)Trigonometry 4 (.07)

Total 30 40 60

EXPLORE

PLAN ACTContent Area

Reading Test

Measures students’ skill in understanding and deriving meaning from texts by:

– Referring to what is explicitly stated

– Reasoning to determine implicit meanings and to draw conclusions, comparisons, and generalizations

Reading TestACT: 2 sub scores

Prose Fiction 10 (.33) 8 (.32) 10 (.25)

Humanities 10 (.33) 9 (.36) 10 (.25)

Social Sciences 10 (.33) 8 (.32) 10 (.25)

Natural Sciences 10 (.25)

Total 30 25 40Passages 3 3 4Passage Length 500 Words 500 Words 750 Words

Content Area EXPLORE PLAN ACT

Science Test

Measures students’ skills in:

– Interpretation

– Analysis

– Evaluation

– Reasoning

– Problem solving

Science TestNumber of Passages

Content AreaLife Science 3Physical Science 2Earth/Space Science 1 1-2* 1-2*Biology 1-2* 1-2*Chemistry 1-2* 1-2*Physics 1-2* 1-2*Total 6 5 7

*At least one topic is required in this content area, and some test forms may have two topics. No more than two topics in a particular content area are allowed.

EXPLORE PLAN ACT

EPAS Reports

EXPLORE/PLAN Score Reporting

• Student Score Reports (2)

• Student Score Labels

• Student Roster (Individual Scores)

• Profile Summary Report (Group Scores)

–College Readiness Standards Report

• Presentation Package

• Early Intervention Roster

– Low Scores

– Reported Needs

• Student Data File on CD

• Item Response Summary Report

Student Reports

Side 1

Student Score Report

Side 2

Student Score Report

Career Interest Survey

Student Score Report

Side 1

Student Score Report

Side 2

Side 2 – Item Analysis

Student Score Report

School Reports

EXPLORE/PLAN Score Reporting

• Student Score Reports (2)

• Student Score Labels

• Student Roster (Individual Scores)

• Profile Summary Report (Group Scores)

–College Readiness Standards Report

• Presentation Package

• Early Intervention Roster

– Low Scores

– Reported Needs

• Student Data File on CD

• Item Response Summary Report

Student List Report

Profile Summary Report

Profile Summary Report

Profile Summary Report

Frequency Distribution

Math Scale Score

N CP NCP

25 3 100 100

24 1 98 98

23 6 98 97

22 0 95 96

21 6 95 95

20 3 92 93

19 15 90 90

18 7 82 84

17 21 79 75

16 43 68 64

15 23 45 50

14 21 33 36

13 14 22 25

12 7 15 16

11 7 11 10

10 5 7 6

9 4 5 4

8 0 3 3

7 2 3 2

6 0 2 1

5 2 2 1

4 1 1 1

3 0 1 1

2 0 1 1

1 0 1 1

Mean 15.6

National Mean

15.5

N = 191

62 Students Above Benchmark

129 Students Below Benchmark

94 Students on the Cusp-28 in danger of slipping

-66 within 2 points of benchmarkEXPLORE MathFrequency Distribution

EXPLORE MathBenchmark – Grade 8= 17

Student List Report

From the Data CD

EXPLORE8th Grade MathBenchmark = 17

EXPLORE Item-Response Summary Report

PLAN Item Response Summary Report

Item Response Summary Report

College Readiness Standard: Math – PSD 303 (16-19)

Probability, Statistics, and Data Analysis

Read tables and graphs.

PLAN Form 31B (2011-2012)

Improving Student

Performance & Readiness

10 Ways to Raise ACT Scoresor

10 Ways to Improve Your Students’ Postsecondary Readiness

Increase % of students taking core coursework

Provide test preparation experience

Review content and format of the ACT Assessment

Align curriculum with skills tested

Involve faculty and parents

Examine and discuss core trends and school profile report

Focus on improvement, not composite

Retesting

Promote a serious attitude about importance/uses of ACT

Student Motivation

Curriculum Review Worksheets

www.act.org/standard/instruct/pdf/CurriculumReviewWorksheets.pdf

www.act.org/learningevents/resources

www.act.org/standard

Connecting Standards to the Classroom

www.act.org/standard

Contact ACT:

Chris MitchellSenior Consultant

ACT Midwest Regional Office300 Knightsbridge Parkway, Suite 300

Lincolnshire, IL 60069

847/634-2560 ● FAX: 847/634-3410

chris.mitchell@ACT.org