ACT Newsroom & Blog

Significant loss. In a simple but profound way, significant loss describes the tangible and long-term impact the COVID-19 pandemic has leveled on our nation’s students—and in particular, the class of 2021. 

Those of us who work with students know the college application process can be stressful even in an ordinary year. But this year is different. And, despite the best efforts from those of us who work in education, we are now beginning to see the effect these various forms of significant loss are having on students applying to college.

Earlier this month the Common App reported that the number of college applications from first-generation students and those eligible for fee waivers were each down by 7% compared to last year. This means our most vulnerable students need us now more than ever...and it’s not too late to help!

Understanding the Impacts

No single cause or factor can adequately explain differences among groups of students, but research tells us societal factors, school resources, and family background play a role. From protests for social justice and an unprecedented presidential election to school closures and the move to blended and online learning to job losses and food insecurity, the events of 2020 have surely amplified these factors in the form of trauma, stress, and anxiety. According to a recent survey of high school seniors, 92% reported feelings of fear and anxiety about attending college. Their top concerns are:

• fear of not being able to afford college (69.7%);
• fear of making the wrong decision (51.6%);
• fear of grades and test scores preventing them from getting accepted (46.5%);
• fear of being emotionally/socially prepared (39.8%); and
• fear of moving away from home and fitting in (27.1%).

New data from our partners at Eduventures Research revealed that one-in-two students from the class of 2021 expressed concern about the ability to communicate with their high school counselor and teachers. Further, 65% of at-risk students reported having concerns about applying to college during the pandemic, including concerns about managing applications, wishing they could have visited a campus, and concerns about their grades in remote/hybrid learning. 

Today we celebrate an exciting milestone: more than five million ACT® WorkKeys® National Career Readiness Certificates® (NCRCs®) have been earned since 2006. The NCRC is a nationally recognized credential that validates foundational workplace skills by measuring a range of hard and soft skills relevant to any occupation, at any level, and across industries. The employment and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the urgent need (for employers, current employees, high school students, work-based learners, the unemployed, and job seekers alike) to recognize this portable, evidence-based credential.

People earn a NCRC by achieving a score of three or higher on ACT® WorkKeys® assessments in Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents. Score levels determine whether an individual earns a Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze NCRC, allowing job seekers to demonstrate they're fit for a particular job, and helping employers hire the right people for the right jobs. Scores can be used in hiring and advancement decisions, as well as to track employees’ growth in skills over time.

Each January, Site Selection magazine publishes Regional Workforce Development Rankings and a “State of the States” report to demonstrate the climate of workforce development, of which the NCRC is an important component. Site selectors, workforce developers, and businesses alike rely on this valid and reliable data to understand the quality of the workforce in a particular location.

Last year, ACT had the pleasure of interviewing Editor-in-Chief Mark Arend in a Ready for Work podcast episode about Site Selection and the workforce development climate. Give it a listen if you are interested in understanding why an organization would choose to invest millions of dollars in one area of workforce development over another.

At ACT, it is our mission to create thriving workforce ecosystems that foster economic growth. What sets ACT Workforce Solutions apart is our understanding of the workforce environment and unique solutions that support the success of the community. Workforce development is truly a community effort, but today we celebrate the five million individual NCRC certificate earners. We’re thrilled to celebrate your success, and can’t wait to see where your credential will take you!Learn more about the NCRC here.

Strategies for Crisis Management, Disaster Recovery, and Skills-Based Economic Recovery

No matter what kind of crisis or disaster comes your community’s way (and 2020 has brought many), there are steps you can take to build the resiliency you need and hone the skills and flexibility that will keep your economy thriving.

Here are three techniques for keeping your community resilient, followed by resources to help you along the way.

1. Promote holistic skills to give your community an advantage.

With six decades of helping communities find success, ACT has long known there’s no one path toward a great career or a happy life.

That said, we’ve learned that there are key skills and capabilities that everyone needs to be ready for work. The ACT Holistic Framework––based on decades of robust data about career readiness––shows that it’s not just academic skills and field-specific knowledge that lead to success.

Instead, it’s cross-cutting capabilities like critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving––along with social and emotional skills like self-knowledge, sustaining effort, and keeping an open mind––that can help people thrive even when times are difficult. Mastering these skills allows people to pivot and grow.

What does this mean for community leaders? Thinking holistically about how to develop your workforce will help you promote a community where job applicants are more likely to have the broad range of skills and abilities that organizations are looking for. You may also need to debunk some myths about skills and skills-based hiring in your community. For more about this, listen to our myth-busting episode of the ACT Ready for Work podcast.

2. Develop tech capabilities for remote and flexible work options.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have had to adjust quickly to remote or hybrid work. Many companies and organizations are exploring new ways of making sure their employees are safe, connected, and productive. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has expanded ideas of how and where work can be done. And this has led to some creative thinking about technology and the ways it can promote growth and positive economic outcomes, even through unpredictable and challenging times.

In fact, of the eight skills Forbes calls out as key for success in a post-pandemic world, four are explicitly technology-related. “Whether you work in a factory or an accounting office in a post-coronavirus world,” writes business strategist Bernard Marr, “you need to be comfortable with these tech tools as well as be able to work with them effectively.”

This advice goes both for individuals and the organizations where they work. Smart, strategic investment in training and tech capabilities can help offset losses in productivity due to the pandemic. It can also lead to new, interesting possibilities for growth, both during the disaster and beyond.

3. Foster adaptability in an uncertain world.

Every crisis or disaster is different. The tools that help you manage one crisis may not work for another. A natural disaster response, for example, will call for different resources and processes than a pandemic or a security threat.

But there is one thing that can always help: adaptability.

Adaptability can take many forms––the specifics will depend on your local community, your workforce, and the key industries in your area. Whether it’s developing hybrid models so your staff can work from home or onsite; gathering data to better understand your community’s different capabilities; implementing stackable credentialing programs that allow employees to shift roles and even industries throughout their careers; or any other number of initiatives, there are so many ways to support an adaptive workforce so you can weather any crisis that comes along.

One great resource for leaders looking to promote adaptability in their communities is Strategic Doing, a book about agile leadership, forming collaborations quickly, and making adjustments along the way. We sat down with Ed Morrison, author of the book, to discuss strategic workforce collaboration. Listen to the episode here.

Apply These Strategies

For more information about utilizing these workforce resiliency strategies, download our Toolkit, which includes a five-step framework to help you focus on your community and the progress you’re making towards building a truly resilient workforce ecosystem.

As the Biden team prepares its transition to the White House, it has already signaled promising priorities for learning, education equity, and student success. At ACT, where we are actively working to fight for fairness in education so that all students are able to chase their dreams, we are encouraged by these signals. It is with this in mind that we set forth our “equity wish list” for the next Administration and Secretary of Education.

Ensure that all students—in particular those who are Black, Latinx, or Native/Indigenous, from low-income families, are first generation students and students with disabilities—are given the access and opportunity to succeed in K-12, postsecondary education, and beyond.

Addressing the digital divide, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a critical matter that threatens the futures of countless students. Through our research, students have told us that they don’t always have access to connectivity or the devices necessary to support their learning; this includes both urban and rural schools.

ACT supports the Biden administration’s intention to greatly increase funding for Title 1 schools, as our research demonstrates that a focus on access and equity to rigorous coursework will help to close current achievement gaps among students. We share the belief that every student, regardless of economic status, race or ethnicity, age, gender, gender identity or geography should have the tools, support and resources to succeed. Where this does not occur—and that it too often impacts minority and socio-economically disadvantaged students—is where our focus must be to level the playing field and help ensure education and workplace success for all students. To this end, academic measures should shine a light on inequity, gauge progress towards eliminating it, and provide actionable data to inform instructional needs and guide individual interventions. With the educational upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this it now more critical than ever before.

The nation needs to provide more opportunities for first-generation college students to be prepared for, transition to and fund a postsecondary education. President-elect Biden is himself a first-generation student, and so understands the unique challenges first-generation students face. It’s critical that these students are supported academically, financially, and emotionally. Students should have the opportunity to know they are prepared for a postsecondary education and will not be saddled with insurmountable debt. It is also critical that we impart to them the navigation skills needed throughout their education and career journeys that will be critical to their success.

Providing affordable postsecondary education, flexible Pell grants, and dual enrollment will help to ensure access and opportunity for all students, regardless of their education pathway after high school. ACT recognizes the importance of equity of choice—that career success might look different for each student. All students deserve to have the information and skills necessary to help them explore their options within whatever education and career pathway they ultimately choose.

Support students’ mental and social-emotional growth, as an integral part of the learning process.

We support the Biden administration’s vision of bringing needed supports for students and parents into the schools. Academic readiness is critical to student success, and teachers should have the ability to focus on teaching. President-elect Biden’s pledge to invest in mental health professionals will allow teachers to spend more time teaching while our schools help ensure students become physically and emotionally healthy adults.

Addressing the trauma and learning loss relative to the COVID-19 pandemic is paramount to preserving the very foundation of education. Students in high-need communities and, in particular, those from Black and Latinx backgrounds and those who have disabilities, who are suffering from the effects of the pandemic at higher rates, must be supported and equipped for success via comprehensive and culturally relevant social emotional learning efforts.

It is our belief that the whole learner must be supported in order to be successful, and that includes addressing students’ mental health and social and emotional development. Students have expressed, as noted in ACT research, that they need greater access to school counselors and mental health professionals at school. Rural students, in particular, have less access to these kinds of supports than their urban and suburban peers. Increasing the number of school counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other professionals who are able to support the diverse and complex needs of students will be vital for student growth and success.

Social and emotional learning is a critical component to the development and success of the whole learner. Curricula and tools that support that development—and the teacher professional development to accompany it—are key factors in ensuring that the whole student is nurtured and empowered for success.

Teaching is a critical profession to the health and future of our democracy, and we must protect and ensure it is attractive to diverse groups—both educators new to the profession, as well as those currently doing the hard work in schools across the country. Teachers must have the resources, tools, incentives, recognition and professional development supports needed to achieve success.

In order to ensure a robust and representative teaching profession, we must make certain that those currently in the teaching profession are supported and that those considering this career see it as a viable and attractive option. Students reported to ACT that they are not interested in teaching, in large measure because salary and career advancement can’t compete with other professions. This is a critical barrier to attracting and retaining educators—especially and including those from diverse backgrounds.

ACT believes that we must incentivize training, support, and professional development for teachers and principals to deepen and extend their ability to engage the whole learner, as an integral way to support and empower teachers for success.

Advance and sustain career and technical education as a transparent pathway to workforce engagement, 2-year or 4-year postsecondary success, and/or high-value credential and skills acquisition.

The demand for high-quality CTE programs is increasing and the evidence is strong that quality CTE can provide a powerful motivation for students to graduate from high school and go on to postsecondary education. Teachers and educators are also placing a greater emphasis on the benefits of contextual education that CTE programs can bring. In the full analysis, the opportunity for CTE growth is strong and the potential for increased student success is high.

Given this backdrop, we encourage further efforts to build a national system of data transparency and data accessibility for CTE programs while also building campaigns to promote CTE as an efficient pathway to fast growing industries and long-term educational success. CTE programs provide students with access to internships, apprenticeships and other avenues for workforce training and relationship building. Flexibility in funding models to incentivize and support these efforts are essential components to building a diverse learn and earn ecosystem for the 21st century.

It is our fervent hope to work in collaboration with the incoming administration and next Education Secretary on these priorities that will not only strengthen the educational system today, but help preserve and protect a robust democracy for the future.

By ACT CEO Janet Godwin, featuring quotes from Domingo Montenegro and Grecia Martinez

Are you ready for the understatement of the year? 2020 has been tough, especially for teachers. 

It’s hard juggling the demands of teaching in a “normal” school year, with near-constant shifts in curriculum, accountability measures, and limitations on school funding for necessary resources. But this year, as COVID-19 rages on around us, teachers have reached a new level of tired. That’s why I’m especially grateful and thoroughly impressed by teachers’ continued passion and dedication to helping their students succeed this year, despite the chaos.

To all the weary educators out there, please know I am with you. You are doing amazing things for your students and should be proud of your work to keep students engaged and inspired. Your work is critical to the social, economic, and political wellbeing of our world. You are changing students’ lives, for the better. ACT’s commitment to being a resource for teachers and providing a platform for teachers’ voices has never been stronger.

Last week, I spoke with two educators who are doing amazing work in their communities, and we discussed the “promising practices ” they are championing at their schools. I was so inspired and energized by this powerful webinar discussion, I wanted to share it with you.

Below is a snapshot of what I learned from them. I hope their words warm your heart and offer you hope (like they did for me) as we head into the holiday season.

Access is Not Enough

For years, ACT has demonstrated that access to high quality, rigorous curriculum and coursework is critical to the academic success of students. However, Grecia Martinez, lead secondary interventionist at Williams Preparatory School in Dallas, Texas, reminded me that access is not enough.


Grecia’s school serves a majority Hispanic and first-generation population. “Low socioeconomic students should not be provided lower coursework—that’s an equity issue,” Grecia told me. And she’s right. When we set the bar high for students, they exceed our expectations.

In addition to helping students who’ve fallen behind get on grade-level and encouraging high-performing students to compete at national levels, Grecia’s school provides students critical context on the social systems and theories that determine quality of life, and teaches students how these structures inform their experiences. They do this to teach students the skills to choose their path post-high school, whatever that unique journey may be.


“Being first-generation is an asset,” she told me. “We’re able to use cultural experience and cultural wealth to keep students motivated in the curriculum.”

It’s like the adage that you can’t “be” what you don’t “see.” More glass ceilings must be shattered.

Domingo Montenegro, language arts department chair at Doral Academy Charter School in Doral, Florida, put it equally as eloquently: “The ability to express yourself opens doors… When you’re able to participate in written and spoken language and understand all of the beautiful things that have been written, it opens up your world.”


Teachers like Domingo model the importance of continuous learning to keep students climbing towards their goals. It takes grit to keep going, and there is no shortcut to success. Rather it’s a steady grind, doing a little every day to work towards your goals and dreams.

It’s All About Engagement

Domingo, in his 22^nd year of teaching, said that non-stop collaboration, between groups of students; students and teachers; and students, teachers, and parents, is critical for moving the achievement needle.

All of my fellow parents out there know that raising children does indeed “take a village.” Strong support systems ensure the work of teaching and guiding isn’t placed on one individual.

Domingo also discussed the culture of collaboration and shared resources between teachers, and the opportunity and time for teacher professional development he felt accelerated his school’s success. Grecia agreed, noting how the stakes are a lot higher for the first-generation students they serve, which is why families and communities rally behind these students.

After all, the success of the student is the success of the family and the community when students reach great heights.

Setting high expectations and having support from family, teachers, and the community helps continue motivation and activates engagement and accountability from all stakeholders. We all play a role in educating our future leaders.

Data Drives Learning

I was encouraged to hear that both Domingo and Grecia emphasize the importance of data in developing a baseline, setting (and resetting) goals, and encouraging student growth.

“We constantly teach and assess, teach and assess, teach and assess,” Domingo told me. And it’s not just the teacher providing feedback and data to the student. A student’s ownership of their data is critical to their growth!

Grecia’s school creates three different tracks for their students, based on test scores, GPA, and their post-high school goals. Early conversations and mentoring guide that goal setting for students and families, and where they go is ultimately their decision.

It’s not a one-and-done, though. There is a constant re-assessment of growth and goals to guide the student along, and form new plans, if necessary.

As a firm believer in the power of Lean-Agile methodology, I love this iterative and bite-sized approach to learning and navigation, empowering the student to take ownership of their future.

“The students who are most successful are students who have teachers they can trust with their education, to create and share plans,” Grecia told me. “They know that there's a purpose, and it's to help them grow.”

Learning Takes Many Forms

Throughout our conversation, Domingo and Grecia shared many strategies around the student experience that are making a difference in students’ lives during this challenging time of blended and remote learning. Both of them told me that a focus on foundational skills, wellness check-ins, and student engagement in the community are important to the success of students today.

“Active involvement in the community and clubs…is essential for the survival of democracy and the improvement of quality of life for years to come, given economic, environmental, and political challenges,” said Domingo. “There are convulsions. How do we deal with that? In a high school, a lot can be done to engage students, to put them at ease and to say, this too shall pass.”

From my own conversations with school leaders, I know that now more than ever, teachers are worried about learning loss and student engagement during the pandemic. They are finding creative ways to make learning come to life for students by giving them a student experience that will keep them engaged and inspired through tough times.

It’s a difficult and daunting task, but we have to make learning “real” for students by going beyond academics. More than a hub for learning, schools are also community centers to learn about and practice civic engagement. Students must see how they fit into the system and how they can apply what they learn in school to other areas of their lives, to be successful in all facets of life, including economically, politically, and socially and emotionally. Learning never stops.

Dive Deeper

If you’d like to learn more from and be inspired by these brilliant educators, watch the webinar recording, and read this brief that highlights promising practices shared by some class of 2020 exemplary high schools that other schools and districts may wish to adopt. Interested in diving deeper? Take a listen to this podcast regarding the brief and our 2020 graduating class data.

And to all the teachers out there, weathering the storm, thank you for your service.  

Federal Action Bolsters Efforts by College-Going Advocacy Groups Working With Students

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 20, 2020 — Both houses of the U.S. Congress have designated November as National College Application Month to remind students that they can’t let the pandemic cause further disruptions and barriers to their college-going journey. COVID-19 continues to overshadow the college-going process with fewer students applying to college and completing the FAFSA when compared to a year ago.

On Thursday, November 19, Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the measure in the Senate; in the House of Representatives, Representatives Susan Wild (D-Pa.) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) introduced it.

The American College Application Campaign (ACAC), an initiative of ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and Reach Higher thank members of Congress for their resolutions declaring November as National College Application Month.

ACAC Director Lisa Sommer King said, “November is a perfect time for students, parents, and educators to focus on moving ahead with college applications. While we’ve had many disruptions in our lives, the congressional resolutions and the support from our allies in this work shows that we’re coming together to remind students—especially Black, Native American, Latinx, and first-generation students—that planning for the future must go on, even during the current challenges.”

The bipartisan, joint resolutions state, “the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment rate for young adults with a bachelor’s degree and the employment rate for young adults whose highest credential is a high school diploma differ by 20 percentage points, which has widened exponentially as a result of the coronavirus.” The full resolution can be found here (Senate) and here (House).

“Applying to college should be a fundamentally student-centered process,” noted Angel B. Pérez, CEO, NACAC. “Congressional recognition of the significance of the college application process helps raise awareness of the promise of higher education, the disparities in equitable access to college, and the supports needed to ensure that students can make successful transitions.”

During this unprecedented season, it is critical we help students understand the choices available to them so that they make informed decisions about life after high school. School counselors and educators can tap into a variety of resources provided by ACAC, NACAC and Reach Higher to support students in their postsecondary planning and guide students through the college-going process.

Stephanie Owens, director of programming, Reach Higher at the Common App, said, “Education is the single most important investment one can make for their future and it gives you the opportunity to meet people with different backgrounds and open your mind to critical thinking.”

The three organizations stress the need for school districts and community members to talk to students about the importance of education beyond high school, to organize activities—whether in person or virtual—to support students through the college-going process, to celebrate the important milestones for the Class of 2021 like applying to college or filling out the FAFSA, and to provide a sense of normalcy amid uncertainty.

About the American College Application Campaign

The American College Application Campaign® (ACAC) is a national initiative designed to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families who pursue a postsecondary degree. The purpose is to assist high school seniors as they navigate the college application and admissions process and ensure each participating student submits at least one admissions application. https://equityinlearning.act.org/acac/

About ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning focuses on closing gaps in equity, opportunity, and achievement for underserved populations and working learners. Through purposeful investments, employee engagement, and thoughtful advocacy efforts, the Center supports innovative partnerships, actionable research, initiatives, campaigns, and programs to further ACT’s mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. http://equityinlearning.act.org

About NACAC

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of nearly 14,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education.

About Reach Higher

Reach Higher, started by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time at the White House, works to inspire every student in the U.S. to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, a four-year college or university, or in the military. Reach Higher continues to help underrepresented students navigate the college-going process by raising awareness about helpful tools and resources; meeting students where they are and tailoring technical assistance to meet their unique needs, and building the capacity of the school counseling profession.

Webinar on Giving Tuesday will Celebrate $7 Million Endowment to the University of Iowa, Kirkwood Community College Providing Full-Tuition Scholarships to Students of Color

WHAT: The ACT Scholars Program was created in 2010, in honor of ACT’s 50th anniversary, to provide full-tuition scholarships to students from low-income populations, Black, Latinx, and Native/Indigenous populations, and first-generation students attending the University of Iowa Graduate College and Kirkwood Community College. In honor of a decade of impact, serving nearly 150 students with two still-intact endowments totaling $7 million, ACT will host a webinar with scholars who’ve benefitted from this gift. Panelists will discuss the challenges of paying for college and the realities of being students of color on a predominately white campus.

WHO: ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning will host a public webinar of distinguished panelists to celebrate and discuss the effects of the program and the success of its recipients over the past decade.

Dr. Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, dean and professor of education in the School of Education at American University, will moderate the panel.

Dr. Richard Ferguson, former ACT CEO, and Dr. J. Ted Sanders, former ACT board member will give closing remarks.

ACT Scholar Panelists include:

• Dr. DaVida Anderson, director of Student Care & Integrity at Carroll Community College and University of Iowa scholar
• Dr. Rosina Britton, faculty member at Adler Graduate School and University of Iowa scholar
• Charles Martin-Stanley II, Ph.D. candidate and University of Iowa scholar
• Eduardo (Lalo) Munoz, AS, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale student and Kirkwood Community College scholar

WHEN: Tuesday, December 1, 2020 (#GivingTuesday); 11:00 a.m., ET

WHERE: Register for the webinar and read the corresponding brief to learn about the effects the endowment has had on students since its inception a decade ago.

WHY: A lack of diversity in classrooms and the financial barriers associated with postsecondary education can prevent students of color from achieving their full academic potential. It is ACT’s hope that by listening to our scholars, sharing the effects of scholarships on scholar success and partnering with fellow education leaders, we can address access as a barrier to opportunity.

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 national leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality assessments grounded in over 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. Visit us online at www.act.org to learn more.

About ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning focuses on closing gaps in equity, opportunity, and achievement for underserved populations and working learners. Through purposeful investments, employee engagement, and thoughtful advocacy efforts, the Center supports innovative partnerships, actionable research, initiatives, campaigns, and programs to further ACT’s mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. http://equityinlearning.act.org

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT, the nonprofit learning organization and provider of college and career readiness assessments, today named Interim Chief Executive Officer Janet Godwin as its CEO. Godwin was appointed as interim CEO in May.

“The ACT Board of Directors is proud to name Janet as our CEO,” said Dan Domenech, ACT chairman of the board and executive director of the American Association of School Administrators. “In a very short time and amidst a global pandemic that has dealt many challenges to education and learning, Janet has shown clear vision, strong leadership and a deep-seated passion for the ACT mission to level the playing field, providing equitable opportunities for learners to find success in college and career. We are confident in her vast experience and ability to strategically and successfully lead ACT.”

Godwin is a 30-year veteran of ACT, previously serving as chief operating officer for ACT before her appointment to interim CEO. Prior to that, Godwin served in leadership roles across the organization, working in test development, research, information technology and operations.

“I’m honored and excited to lead ACT through its transformation to support all students at every stage of their learning journey,” said Godwin. “Now more than ever, ACT has a responsibility to fight for fairness in education and to provide learning, navigation and assessment services that will help learners and educators alike make informed decisions on their paths to success. This is critical and urgent work, and I look forward to developing strong partnerships with educators and workforce professionals to create solutions that improve outcomes for all learners.”

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 national leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality assessments grounded in over 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. 

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning Offers Policy Recommendations that Reflect Students’ Views

IOWA CITY, Iowa — As millions of American high school students return to classrooms this fall, their concerns about physical safety, which existed prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns, deserve careful analysis and consideration by school administrators and policy makers.

In a new report by ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning, “What Do Students Say About School Safety,” students say schools need additional mental health resources and want school leaders to better listen to their concerns. According to the report, which surveyed high school students who took the ACT test as part of a national administration in late 2018, students want to be engaged and included in conversations around school safety and decisions that affect them.

Authors of the new report examined students’ responses to open-ended questions from a survey that asked them to document their thoughts, feelings and concerns about school safety.

The analysis found that while 75 percent of students said they felt safe at school:

• Many students said their schools could improve on safety. Students reported safety issues associated with traveling outside between buildings for class, being in buildings that did not have locked doors, a lack of proper emergency plans or drills, or school staff not doing enough about school threats. For example, one student stated, “[W]hen a former student attempted an attack on my school at the end of last year, I did not feel like my school was a safe place or that it was handled well. I believe that situation has been swept under the rug and there are still things that need to be addressed in the aftermath of what happened.”
• Nine percent of respondents said they felt unsafe at school. A student commented that, “[O]ne of the students at my school was caught carrying a gun. I felt unsafe because we don’t have any type of metal detectors at my school to search out students [who might bring a gun to school].”
• Students who reported feeling unsafe also commented on racist and homophobic incidents, and a need for school officials to identify and stop behaviors that they deemed racially insensitive, like wearing confederacy-related clothing.
• The most common student suggestion for increasing feelings of safety in school was to increase mental health resources. The need for more school counselors was referenced by 17 percent of these students. One student wrote, “What happens is that the guidance counselors and school psychologist are a mere reroute to actual therapists, and thus they themselves cannot offer any help to students. If they were trained in basic therapy, they may be able to do more to help students.”
• Sixty-seven percent of respondents indicated they did not want teachers or administrators to be trained to carry guns, while 21 percent said that these individuals should be trained. Further, students of color were more likely to oppose this idea than white students (Hispanic 54 percent vs, white 39 percent vs, Black 66 percent), and females were more likely to oppose this than males (54 percent vs. 35 percent).
  
  

“Students’ voices are a critical input in conversations about school safety,” said Tina Gridiron, vice president of ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning. “School policies disproportionately affect students of color and that can lead to their feeling unsafe at school—and be a barrier to their learning and success. We must ensure that students are heard and included in discussions and decisions about school safety, and that administrators don’t overlook important physical safety and mental health issues that students are facing.”

ACT Policy Recommendations to Improve School Safety

• Federal and state funding should promote the availability and improve the access and quality of school mental health services. Although persons with mental illness are not more likely to commit violence, mental health services were the most frequently requested safety measure. Given that the pandemic may have a negative impact on students’ mental health, students may be returning to school with additional mental health needs above and beyond what was needed in the past. This is concerning because, prior to the pandemic, students responding to an ACT survey had reported that their schools’ mental health services were insufficient making access to high-quality school-based mental health services more important than ever.
• Policymakers should include students’ perspectives when considering which school safety measures to implement. While some students identified additional safety measures that could be taken, others believed there were already too many safety measures implemented and some needed to be discontinued. Such a range suggests that policymakers should gather and use student input to help evaluate particular options to better support a safe learning environment for all students.

The latest report builds on two earlier reports in the series:

• “Creating Safe Schools,” in which 23 percent of respondents reported that concerns about safety negatively affected their ability to learn and 38 percent indicated that providing/increasing mental health services for students who need them would increase feelings of safety; and
• “Supporting the Mental Health Well-Being of High School Students,” which found students who attended schools in rural areas had less access to basic school-based mental health services compared to students in suburban or urban locations (71 percent of suburban students, compared to 65 percent of rural students, can access a school-based professional to talk about certain mental health issues). Additionally, African American students were less likely than white students to say that they could reach out to a teacher or counselor if they needed mental health support (for example, 48 percent of African American students compared to 57 percent of white students said they could reach out to a teacher).

About ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning

ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning focuses on closing gaps in equity, opportunity, and achievement for underserved populations and working learners. Through purposeful investments, employee engagement, and thoughtful advocacy efforts, the Center supports innovative partnerships, actionable research, initiatives, campaigns, and programs to further ACT’s mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. http://equityinlearning.act.org

Equity and Opportunity Gaps Persist as National Average Composite ACT Score Trends Down for Third Year in a Row

IOWA CITY, Iowa—ACT, the nonprofit organization that administers the ACT college readiness exam, today released achievement data from the 2020 U.S. high school graduating class of ACT test-takers. Of the nearly 1.67 million students in the 2020 graduating class who took the ACT test, approximately 49 percent of graduates nationwide, the national average Composite score was 20.6, one tenth of a point lower than the 2019 national average of 20.7.

This is the lowest average Composite score in the past 10 years. The average Composite score for students from traditionally underserved racial/ethnic groups (i.e., not white or Asian) decreased from 18.0 to 17.7 between 2016 and 2020.

ACT’s empirical indicators of readiness, the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, provide actionable information to students and educators to improve learning. Only 26 percent of ACT-tested students met all four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks (English, reading, math and science); and consistent with last year, 37 percent met at least three out of the four benchmarks. Just over half of underserved students (low-income, minority, and/or first-generation college students) met zero of the four benchmarks.
  

“By our measures, more than half of underserved students aren’t college ready,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “That’s unacceptable, and we must do better. COVID-19 will only exacerbate these gaps and more students will miss out on opportunities to find success. I am hopeful though, that even with the disruption of 2020, ACT data will continue to serve as a consistent evaluation tool crucial to assessing learning gaps, identifying systemic barriers in education and most importantly highlighting opportunities for growth. Together with educators we will work tirelessly to improve student outcomes.”

ACT research has consistently shown that students who report taking the recommended core curriculum—four years of English, three years of mathematics (including courses in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II), three years of science (including courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics) and three years of social studies—are more likely to be ready for college or career than those who do not. Access to quality courses as part of a rigorous curriculum may be limited for certain groups—like students from rural areas and low-income students—compared to their more privileged peers.

Overall, the percentage of students self-reporting their curriculum and other information has declined over the past few years. Among students who provided coursework information to ACT, 75 percent completed the core curriculum and achieved an average score of 22.3, while 25 percent took less than the core curriculum and achieved an average score of 19.2. The average Composite score among 2020 graduates who did not provide coursework information is 17.9, which is 0.1 points lower than the 2019 average for this group of students.

“Our states and districts continue to lead the way in providing opportunities for access for all students, particularly underserved students,” said ACT President of Measurement, Charlie Astorino. “As more students take the ACT during the school day, particularly with COVID-19 limiting access to school buildings on national test dates, educators and school officials will look to ACT data for reliable insights to holistically assess and improve learning outcomes for students and school systems.”

In conjunction with the release of ACT achievement data on the class of 2020 graduates, ACT is also releasing a policy brief and corresponding webinar. These activities highlight a diverse group of high schools that have shared their insights regarding a number of interventions to address and remedy barriers to postsecondary success for their students.

While COVID-19 affected students and education systems in many ways in the spring of 2020, the data do not suggest that ACT scores for the 2020 graduating class were affected in a substantive way by the safety measures and responses to COVID-19. It is too early to determine the ways in which COVID-19 may affect the testing rates and average scores of future graduating classes.

Other Findings

• In the 2019-2020 school year, ACT continued to provide ACT fee waivers for students from low-income families to take the ACT for free. Students used ACT fee waivers to register for almost 400,000 free ACT tests, with more than $20.5 million in registration fees waived.
• Among 2020 graduates who retested, receiving more exposure to instruction, the average ACT Composite score was 22.8 (22.7 in 2019), while the national average Composite score for single-time testers among 2020 graduates was 19.0 (19.2 in 2019).
• The annual reporting of ACT achievement data on the high school graduating class looks at a student’s most recent test attempt. The percentage of high school graduates whose last test was taken as a junior has been increasing since 2016, with 58 percent of 2020 graduates taking their last test as a junior.
• Among ACT-tested 2020 graduates, 24 percent did not complete any of the course grade information section of the ACT registration form, which is used to determine core/non-core curriculum status.
• 44% of the ACT-tested graduating class had a state or district test as their most recent record, meaning that they had the ability to receive a college-reportable ACT score while testing in their own school buildings on a weekday.

As ACT becomes a learning organization, it’s increasingly important for the nonprofit to not only measure readiness, but also provide research-backed learning solutions and share success stories from educators improving learning in their classrooms.

Join ACT for a webinar on November 12, 2020 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. central featuring promising practices from exemplary high schools that are helping their students find success while serving predominately high populations of minority/underserved students in rural, urban and suburban areas. Learn what these schools are doing to help students outperform expectations compared to their peers.

About the Data

The data released include ACT score results from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, including 14 states that required all students to take the ACT as part of their statewide testing programs and another six states that funded ACT testing on an optional basis. They also include the results from more than 1,100 individual school districts across the country that administered the ACT to all students.

Note: There will be no Condition of College and Career Readiness national report or corresponding state reports in 2020. The data remain largely unchanged year-over-year and can now be accessed in an interactive format. State profile reports are available upon request.

View the data via the public-facing Tableau dashboard.

Additionally, ACT will continue to release focused reports, including a series of briefs on ACT fee waiver usage, throughout the year in order to give these important topics the full attention they deserve.

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 national leader in college and career readiness, providing high-quality assessments grounded in over 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. 

New Comprehensive Digital Solution Suite Allows Teachers to Focus on Teaching

IOWA CITY, Iowa—Today, ACT—a global nonprofit leader in providing college and career readiness assessments—launches Mosaic™ by ACT®, a research-backed, comprehensive learning solution to provide educators, learners, and families with quality online learning tools and services to address student needs in the classroom and at home, during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

ACT was founded in 1959 on the idea that achievement, not aptitude, should determine student readiness, and that what a student learns in school should indicate their preparedness for college and career. Today, backed by 60 years of research and integrating years-worth of acquisitions and investments in educational solutions, ACT introduces a comprehensive digital suite as it commits to not only measure readiness, but serve teaching and learning at scale.

“Educators, learners, and families are at the center of everything we do,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “As a nonprofit helping millions of learners realize education and workplace success each year, we’re uniquely prepared to apply our expertise in meaningful ways. Mosaic by ACT is the culmination of our strategic approach to transform into a learning organization. We're broadening our focus from measuring student progress (with assessments) to providing actionable solutions that improve learner outcomes.”

Integrating several mergers, acquisitions and investments, Mosaic by ACT combines the adaptive academic learning power of ScootPad, open educational resources from OpenEd, Knovation, and curriculum and assessment framework services from ACT SkillSuite; social emotional learning from Mawi Learning and ACT Tessera; and learning and professional resources from ProExam.

Mosaic by ACT features:

• Adaptive Academic Learning: An adaptive learning platform and extensive curriculum and real-time assessment resources to build student knowledge and skills in mathematics and English language arts. It includes a digital learning library with more than 80,000 curated and standards-aligned resources, as well as social and emotional learning.
• Social Emotional Learning: An evidence-based solution that drives tangible results using flexible, adaptable assessment, and curriculum and professional development to prepare all students for success.
• Learning and Professional Services: An extensive catalog of professional development services to help educators apply these resources to implement effective learning solutions.

With this comprehensive suite, ACT is focused on providing K-8 solutions (and many SEL resources for high school) that impact equity, access and learning outcomes to prepare learners for high school, college and career.

“Our extensive research combined with a powerful mixture of academic and social and emotional learning solutions and services allow us to serve learners and educators right now,” said ACT President of Learning Jonell Sanchez. “Reflecting on my own personal experience as a young learner in ESL and remedial learning classes, in this time when we see a widening of opportunity and equity gaps, it’s critical to ensure that we are building solutions to close those gaps and working toward access and readiness for all learners. These solutions really meet students where they are and empower educators to adjust accordingly.”

“Mosaic by ACT is the next step in a long history of meeting learners where they are and supporting them at every stage,” said Sanchez.

Find out more about Mosaic by ACT and how ACT is helping educators, learners and families during the pandemic and beyond at act.org/learning. 

Celebration More Important Than Ever This Application Season as Pandemic Disrupts College-Going Plans

Updated 10/22

Testing for the first 2020 national ACT test administration of the school year began this weekend (on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13). COVID-19 continues to challenge us with the complexities of late test center closures, reduced capacity at sites due to social distancing requirements, and the introduction of new face-covering policies.

Our mission compels us to meet these challenges head on to serve students in need of scores for admissions, scholarships, and college and career insights. We’ve added capacity with additional test centers and pop-up testing locations, as well as additional fall test dates to answer to demand for scores and to provide safe testing experiences.

Our continued priority is to promote the safety and wellbeing of students and test center staff while providing as many testing opportunities as possible. We thank our customers and stakeholders for working with us to help students navigate the new school year and testing season.

Here’s what you should know about “what’s next”:

Scores

Multiple choice scores from the September 12 and 13 test dates will begin to be released on Monday, September 28 during standard business hours. Multiple choice scores from September 19 will begin to be released on Monday, October 5 during standard business hours. Scores typically first become available within 2 weeks of the test date and are released throughout an 8-week period.

Scoring system enhancements have pushed out the start date of our typical score release window. After September, we will be back to our typical release schedule for both national and international score releases.

Please note, not all students who tested on September 12 or 13 will receive their scores on the first score release day (September 28), but scores will continue to be released each week through November 6. If you tested on September 19, your scores will be released through November 13. The 8-week score release window is typical, and in line with prior years’ score release processes.

Score Report

Students’ score reports tell a unique story about their knowledge, skills and strengths. Though the composite score (the average of a student’s English, math, reading and science section scores) is often a focus, the ACT score report can and should be used as a learning and navigation tool. It can help address gaps in knowledge and spur students to think about what they may be interested in studying at college or pursuing in their career. Students will see an updated and interactive score report in MyACT (rather than a pdf score report) that they can use to drill into specific areas of strength, determine areas for improvement, and explore their achievements in more detail than ever before.

Here’s some of what you will see in MyACT:
Click on View Score Details to see additional information about your scores.

Updated 10/22

Over the weekend, students from across the globe sat for an ACT test to earn a score for college admissions, scholarships, and college and career insights. COVID-19 has challenged us all, and we thank our customers and stakeholders for working with us to help students navigate the new school year and testing season.

Our continued priority is to promote the safety and wellbeing of students and test center staff while providing as many testing opportunities as possible.

Here’s what you should know about “what’s next”:

Scores

Multiple choice scores from the 11 September and 12 September test administration for international students will begin to be released on Monday, 28 September. Non-US test scores are typically released as soon as 2 business days after the test date, but scoring system enhancements have pushed out the start of our typical score release window. After September, we will be back to our typical score release schedule.

Score Report

Students’ score reports tell a unique story about their knowledge, skills and strengths. Though the composite score (the average of a student’s English, math, reading and science section scores) is often a focus, the ACT score report can and should be used as a learning and navigation tool. It can help address gaps in knowledge and spur students to think about what they may be interested in studying at college or pursuing in their career. Students will see an updated and interactive score report in MyACT that they can use to drill into specific areas of strength, determine areas for improvement, and explore their achievements in more detail than ever before.
Click on View Score Details to see additional information about your scores.

Send this Score – Click here to send this score to the school and/or scholarship agency of your choice.

Am I Ready for College – Compare your scores with standards to meet college readiness benchmarks to predict success in the first year based on ACT scores. If your score is at or above the Benchmark, you have at least a 50% chance or obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in specific first year college courses in the corresponding subject area.