ACT Newsroom & Blog

College costs are rising, but completion rates are not rising with them. With almost 50 percent of first-time students over 20 years old not graduating or enrolled in college after six years, nearly double the non-completion rate of first-time students aged 20 or younger, it is clear that many students in this demographic could use some help. Our 2018 ACT Higher Education Policy Platform urges policymakers to use innovative solutions to reduce college costs and raise completion rates for underserved students.



Students can take many different paths to earn PLC. Some paths, like dual enrollment, are more obvious than others to matriculating students. We are doing our part as an organization to help students succeed in their postsecondary journeys by collaborating with the American Council on Education’s ACE CREDIT service. This service recommends that colleges allow the use of the ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificate® to demonstrate prior learning. Across the country, students of all ages take the associated ACT WorkKeys® assessments to earn the NCRC, most often as proof of skills for prospective employers. However, not everyone knows about this other valid use of the NCRC prior to when test-takers seek to enter the workforce. Different colleges have different PLC policies, and ACT will be working with institutions across the country to advance the use of the NCRC for PLC.

Interested in learning more about prior learning credit? Register here for ACT’s upcoming webinar on Tuesday, October 2.

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT announced today that it has agreed to acquire the automated item generation (AIG) technology of MGHL Consulting Ltd., a leader in AIG. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

AIG is a technology that uses human-created item models to generate test questions with a series of computer programs. It is a proven operational technique that has been thoroughly assessed and verified through rigorous research by ACT and others.

A year ago, ACT joined forces with MGHL Consulting to use AIG to accelerate its test development process. Now it will acquire the company’s AIG technology.

MGHL is headed by Drs. Mark J. Gierl and Hollis Lai, professors in Edmonton, Canada, who have spent more than 10 years developing and implementing the AIG process. Both will continue to work with ACT as consultants.

“Acquiring MGHL’s AIG technology will allow us to build the software together with Dr. Gierl and Dr. Lai,” said Marten Roorda, ACT chief executive officer. “This AIG technology will help us better meet the needs of our customers, speeding up the development of our assessments and significantly increasing the number of test forms available to us.”

In addition to using this technology to improve its own processes, ACT will offer it to other testing organizations and associations to help them develop their assessments much more efficiently.

Over the past few years, ACT has acquired The National Research Center for College and University Admissions™ (NRCCUA®), OpenEd and ProExam and made strategic investments in Smart Sparrow, Open Assessment Technologies, S.A. and New Markets Venture Partners, a pioneering education-focused fund. ACT has also partnered with nonprofit The NROC Project to create ACT CollegeReady and with Arizona State University to identify dozens of advanced research and product development initiatives to enhance the future of learning.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa, Sept. 25, 2018 – Many underserved students are not getting the help they need from their colleges to stay in school while they work to pay for it, according to new research from ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning.

A third (32 percent) of surveyed universities and colleges failed to offer resources to help underserved students balance the demands of working and earning money while they were learning. And another 10 percent of higher education institutions were only considering offering such resources, not actually providing them.

Even more troubling were the colleges that had no such resources nor plans to implement them, either because of insufficient budget to do so or a perceived lack of need for such services. This is despite the fact that underserved students are overrepresented among those who are working learners in college.

The report, “Characteristics of Experiential Learning Services at U.S. Colleges and Universities,” by John H. Pryor, found that the majority (58 percent) of institutions offered such specialized resources and a very small amount (1 percent) had previously offered such assistance but were not currently doing so.

When institutions did offer specific services for underserved students, they were not likely to do so through a dedicated career services staff person. Most programs reported working with other offices that had campus-wide responsibilities specific to such populations as first-generation students or racial/ethnic groups. In other cases, the career services office had a specific program for underserved students but not a dedicated staff person for that role.

“There are many explanations for why equity remains an issue in the United States, and this report addresses a little-known but important aspect of the conversation,” said Jim Larimore, Chief Officer for ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning. “Working while in college can provide valuable experience in the workforce; these experiences can help students determine if a career is a fit and help them improve their workplace skills. But underserved students need greater access to the types of work and internship experiences that relate to their interests, mentoring to develop and refine workplace skills, and help to balance the demands of working, learning and living. We believe if institutions did more to explicitly help underserved students we would go a long way to closing equity gaps that persist.”

Working Learners Receive Little Support

Most colleges and universities did not provide specific support for working learners, nor underserved or traditional students. One in three institutions reported that they provided, at best, counseling in how to balance work and school. About as many (28 percent) offered extended office hours for students who work during the day. Only about one in five (18 percent) offered information sessions on how to balance work and school. Even fewer colleges (9 percent) offered support for flexible academic deadlines, such as assignments and tests, for students who worked.

Opportunities to Improve

The resources offered on campuses included (from highest to lowest amount of student use): résumé reviews, one-on-one appointments, on-campus career fairs, practice interviews, résumé workshops and group sessions by career services. Overall, about one in three career services professionals thought students did not use these resources at a high level.

The report suggests that colleges and universities could improve the situation by offering one-on-one assistance, expanded office hours and targeted services.

“Both upper-level administrators who set campus budgetary priorities and employers who decide to offer a paid or unpaid position need to recognize the potential that working learners possess as contributors to the learning environment and as the future employees whose talents will drive innovation and productivity in the United States,” said Larimore. “Improved support for working learners is an investment that will pay dividends for generations to come.”

Study Specifics

The researchers defined these work-and-learn opportunities as follows:

• Internships that integrate knowledge learned in the classroom with practical applications and skills development in a professional setting. 
• Cooperative education programs that allow students to work full time in areas aligned with their career goal or major. Students alternate between full-time student and full-time employee in positions related to their interests to combine a degree with significant work experience. 
• Apprenticeships that allow students to obtain a recognized credential while gaining on-the-job experience. Apprentices shadow their employer and must provide instruction on knowledge in related technical subjects. An apprenticeship is typically full time and can be a year or more. 
• Federal work-study positions that are partially funded through the federal government. Although usually on campus, some work can be off campus. 
• Practicums that place a strong emphasis on linking academic knowledge with real-world application while being carefully assessed by a senior member of the field. A practicum does not necessarily lead to a credential, although certain types of practicums, such as residencies, do. 

Researchers partnered with the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA) to survey its members who held higher education positions whose duties included helping students find employment.

About ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning supports research that focuses on closing gaps in equity and achievement. The Center works to produce actionable evidence to guide thought leadership and inform changes in policy and practice that will lead to improved learning and achievement.

ACT Certified Educator programs focus on effective teaching strategies

“There are many educators and tutors offering and promoting their services, and it’s not always easy for parents to know which ones are well prepared to help and which ones aren’t,” said ACT Chief Commercial Officer Suzana Delanghe. “Now parents won’t have to base their decision merely on the educator’s ACT score. ACT Certified Educator will help them identify the individuals who are trained in the most effective teaching strategies to help students learn.”

“The ACT test measures the skills and knowledge that students have learned in school, so it is important that ACT Certified Educators have subject-area expertise as well as an understanding of effective teaching strategies,” said Delanghe. “This program is not about test-taking tips and tricks; it’s about helping students learn. We believe the ability to understand and utilize pedagogically sound teaching strategies is what makes educators effective.”

Earlier this year, ACT introduced an international version of the ACT Certified Educator program in China and conducted a domestic pilot session in the Chicago area.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT, the nonprofit developer of the ACT® test and other assessments taken by millions of individuals worldwide, announced today that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has selected ACT to develop a creative thinking assessment for use in the world-renowned Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2021.

PISA, widely recognized as the benchmark for evaluating education systems worldwide, assesses the skills and knowledge that 15-year-old students across the globe will need to succeed in education and career.

PISA is administered by OECD every three years. More than half a million students from 72 countries participated in PISA’s 2015 cycle. PISA assesses student learning in mathematics, science, and reading plus a fourth, innovative domain that changes with each testing cycle. The ACT-developed creative thinking assessment will be the fourth element in the 2021 testing cycle.

“A fundamental role of education is to equip students with the skills they need in the future,” said Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills and special advisor on education policy to the Secretary-General at OECD. “Creative thinking is a necessary competence for today’s young people to develop, as societies increasingly depend on innovation to address emerging challenges. PISA 2021 will take international assessments into a new phase by gathering data on young people’s creative thinking skills.”

“We are thrilled and honored that OECD has placed its trust in ACT to develop this new assessment for the internationally respected PISA,” said ACT CEO Marten Roorda. “Developing a creative thinking assessment will require true innovation, as there is currently no assessment in the market that provides a comprehensive measure of students’ abilities in this domain. We look forward to this challenge.”

ACT’s development of the creative thinking assessment will be an extension of its recent work in developing the ACT Holistic Framework, a comprehensive description of the skills and competencies necessary for education and workplace success at every stage of life. The work for this project will draw heavily on expertise from ACT’s innovation arm, ACTNext.

Dr. Gunter Maris, senior director of advanced psychometrics at ACTNext, will be the research program director for the team. He will be aided by Dr. Yigal Rosen, senior director of learning solutions at ACTNext, in leading the task development for this innovative assessment. Dr. Rosen has acted as the liaison for the PISA expert group for the core assessments, which gives ACT more comprehensive direction for a successful project.

Augmenting ACT’s expertise and experience will be CITO, contributing its feedback on the adaptability of proposed task types and test items.

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It’s “back to school” time again, which is a busy time for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County (BBBS).

A new school year brings with it heavy recruitment for volunteer mentors and outreach to families. It can also be a stressful time for the families we serve—76% of whom qualify for free and reduced lunch. Many are from single-parent homes and a significant number are new to the community or even recently arrived from other countries. Getting ready to send children back to school can stretch already limited resources beyond capacity. However, our 40+ year partnership with ACT has done a lot to alleviate these stressors and improve the lives of youth and families.

For the second year in a row, ACT organized a backpack supplies drive to benefit young people identified by Big Brothers Big Sisters. ACT team members researched the respective school supply lists, shopped according to the specific interests of each child, stuffed backpacks with the needed supplies and “handed them off” to BBBS staff to deliver. This was not a random act or a general school supply drive, this was an intentional effort to provide very intentional relief for families in support of their children’s education.

One of the first deliveries was to a family where much of the caregiving is done by older siblings while the parent is at work. The older sibling who was caring for the child receiving the backpack said, “This is going to save us so much money!” One family remarked how much time this was going to save them, as several bus rides with transfers would have been required to collect all the items.

ACT knows all children can reach their potential, with a little help and a lot of love from people who care. They recognize how partnering with community organizations that provide opportunities for children to succeed—such as Big Brothers Big Sisters—helps level the field for those facing adversity. Research has shown 1:1 mentoring relationships improve social competence, scholastic achievement and avoidance of risky behaviors.

Support to BBBS from ACT comes in many forms: employees volunteering to be “Bigs,” volunteering to serve on the BBBS Board of Directors, supporting fundraising efforts as a sponsor, and being enthusiastic participants at the annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake.

ACT recognizes the value of partnerships, and investing in their community, particularly in young people. No one product, organization, business, school or family can do it alone, and there are many opportunities for individuals to get involved in local community efforts throughout the year. Consider volunteering to be a mentor for your local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters or find your own unique way to help your fellow neighbor, and give back to the community in which you live.

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IOWA CITY, IOWA—The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education in Egypt have signed an agreement to use ACT assessments to measure learning and college readiness in Egyptian schools starting this fall.

The agreement, signed on September 15, includes the following:

• Universities in Egypt will now accept scores on the ACT test and an ACT subject area test for admission. 
• International high schools in Egypt will administer the ACT test and ACT subject area tests to students for graduation purposes. 
• Egyptian schools will use the ACT Aspire system for summative assessment of learning in grades 3 through 9. 
• Egyptian schools will use PreACT for assessment of learning in grades 9 through 11.
  

“We are delighted to be working with the Ministry of Education to help measure and verify learning among Egyptian students and students at American high schools in the country,” said ACT Chief Commercial Officer Suzana Delanghe. “This agreement will truly give students more choice and greater flexibility in testing. ACT’s assessments are trusted around the world to measure college and career readiness, and ACT is committed to serving international markets and helping them prepare students for success.”

ConnecME Education, the ACT exclusive partner for the Middle East and North Africa region, administers all the tests in the region and has been instrumental in bringing the ACT to higher visibility in the area and in pursuing equivalency in Egypt. ConnecME continues its objective of assisting governments and students in increasing opportunities and allowing students to find their best pathway to further education and employment.

“We are honored to be part of this action by the Ministry of Education,” said ConnecME Education CEO Mohammad Shadid. “The ACT will help a new generation of Egyptian students. Moreover, it opens the very exciting door of more students returning home with elite skills and qualifications. We are grateful for the support and vision from the Ministry of Education, who has always maintained the pursuing of the best interests of students in Egypt above all else, and we are excited to be working directly with them in the introduction of the test to Egypt.”

About ACT

ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa, ACT is trusted as a global leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality assessments grounded in nearly 60 years of research. ACT offers a uniquely integrated set of solutions designed to provide personalized insights that help individuals succeed from elementary school through career. To learn more, visit www.act.org.

About ConnecME

ConnecME is an international educational company that understands the importance of empowerment and global citizenship. With its strong partnerships, it aims to provide tailored educational solutions to meet the unique needs of schools, universities, and government departments. With ACT, ConnecME’s goal is to provide students with opportunities to help them become globally competitive and to attain excellence and recognition in the global domain. They view their role as one of continuous support to the student, in helping them open more doors to opportunities both home and abroad. To know more about ConnecME’s services, please visit their website www.connecme.com or email info.egypt@connecme.com

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As ACT celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, is there anything about your heritage that is particularly meaningful to you?

I am Hispanic and proud of it – even if I’m coming from the only part of South America that does not speak Spanish! I discovered the US as an exchange student and that first experience brought me back here many years later. I became an American citizen without losing my familial and cultural roots. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is a great way to bridge where I’m coming from and what it means for me to be in the US today.

What is your personal connection to Hispanic Heritage Month?

I was born in Brazil. My father was an entrepreneur who saw opportunities in raising cattle and chicken and exporting the meat – so I spent the first 10 years of my life on a farm in a very remote location, with a generator for electricity and no phone, TV, or radio access. Later on we moved to a small city, with more social interaction, and I felt quickly that in Brazil your connections and family background mattered more than your skills and drive, especially if you are a girl. Social mobility was nonexistent and the socioeconomic disparity was huge.

Within that particular experience, what were some of the challenges and successes that influence your choices today at ACT?

I think that an exchange student has to deal with three different issues: being away from home, a different schooling culture, and the language. But exchange students are very valuable for the receiving countries as they promote cultural exchange.

More generally, immigration is an asset to every country. Immigrants usually come from places where life is hard. If they see a path for a better future for themselves and their kids, they are going to work very hard to succeed.

So it’s important that we give them the tools to be properly assessed and educated. I’m always happy and proud to be working at ACT, especially when I see underserved and English Learner students who will go to university because of the work we do. I’ve seen lots of young adults whose lives would have been changed for the better if only they had access to education.

How does your culture shape you as a person and a professional? What attributes have you carried through over the years?

Having lived in different places taught me that culture is very important, and getting out of your comfort zone teaches you a lot. I encourage everyone to travel. It changes the perspective on your hometown!

My own “meta-culture” borrows from the different places where I’ve lived: Brazil, USA, Europe, and Australia. I know the social codes for each one. But the most important thing that I’ve learned is that beyond cultures, we humans all have the same aspirations: try to be a better person, learn every day, contribute to the community, be treated fairly and with equity, and build a better future for our kids.


Education, opportunity, and family values are the things that brought me where I am today. Even though I have lived in many different countries and experienced many different cultures, I am firmly rooted in my Hispanic values of family, decency, and loyalty.

“Smart Library”

Aligns Content to Learning Goals for Personalized Instruction

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT, the maker of the ACT® test, today unveiled a “smart library” of online resources to help educators align classroom content to learning goals. The resources are an expansion of ACT® Academy™, the free online learning platform that was launched in March to help students improve their core academic skills for success in college and career.

The library will allow educators to discover their students’ academic strengths and determine areas for improvement by providing them with the most relevant, effective content when and where they need it most—in the classroom. Learning goals can be personalized to each student or to the class as a whole.

“The beauty of the smart library is that it enhances teachers’ ability to do what they do best: help their students learn,” said ACT Chief Commercial Officer Suzana Delanghe. “By providing over 500,000 of the best educational videos, games, assessments, homework assignments and lesson plans, all in one place, ACT Academy takes the guesswork out of lesson planning, so that teachers have more time to teach and students receive more effective, personalized instruction.”

ACT Academy is designed to integrate easily with existing learning management systems, allowing teachers to assign ACT Academy homework content and quizzes to students, view individual performance and progress and assign resources recommended by ACT Academy, which are tailored to students’ areas of need.

With ACT Academy, implementing a blended learning environment in the classroom is simplified by providing personalized resources based on student gaps as well as robust classroom reporting that pinpoints areas of need across groups.

Teachers may visit act.org/academy to access the smart library and begin utilizing ACT Academy resources in their classrooms.

Additional Tools to Help Teachers

ACT’s social and emotional learning assessment system, ACT® Tessera®, has also been improved this fall to better aid teachers in the classroom. Teachers now have greater clarity and insight into where their students are struggling and how they can take action to help them succeed, with enhanced scoring capabilities, redesigned reports, the addition of school climate questions and a new digital, interactive Teacher Playbook.

Similarly, ACT® CollegeReady™, a student support tool—used by both secondary and postsecondary institutions to improve placement outcomes and student preparation—has been updated to provide users with improved accessibility support for students with disabilities and increased Spanish language support. New segmentation options for teachers and administrators allow users to better track progress by class, section, teacher and more.

ACT’s latest offerings reinforce the nonprofit’s commitment to equity and innovation, allowing the organization to level the playing field for more students. These enhancements are part of ACT’s transition to a learning, measurement and navigation organization.

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