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In today’s economy, a region’s competitiveness rests on one essential asset: its workforce. To strengthen that asset, nearly 600 communities across the U.S. have adopted ACT Work Ready Communities, a data-driven framework that aligns education, industry, and policy around one goal: developing a skilled, job-ready talent pipeline.

What is a Work Ready Community (WRC)?

A WRC is a community-wide workforce development ecosystem that:
Links education to workforce development by offering the ACT WorkKeys NCRC in school
Aligns talent preparation with regional economic needs
Helps employers match candidates to jobs based on verified skill levels

Together, these elements create a stronger talent pipeline while helping communities compete for new business and industry.

Tackling the skilled worker shortage

Ford CEO Jim Farley recently highlighted a troubling national trend: 5,000 open mechanic positions at Ford are unfilled because candidates lack necessary skills. This mirrors a widespread shortage across trades and technical fields.

WRCs address this challenge head-on. By using ACT WorkKeys assessments in high schools, colleges, adult education programs, and incumbent worker training, communities help residents validate foundational skills while giving employers access to qualified, job-ready talent.

The result: individuals gain meaningful employment opportunities, and businesses hire employees who have what it takes to train or work from day one.

The WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate: The heart of an ACT WRC

At the center of every WRC is the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC): the credential that turns workforce readiness into measurable, verifiable skill data. The NCRC evaluates three foundational skills employers say are most critical: Applied Math, Workplace Documents, and Graphic Literacy. According to ACT’s JobPro database, these skills are required for about 77% of U.S. jobs, making the NCRC a common assessment tool across education, employers, and workforce systems.

The NCRC delivers clear value:

ACT has long promoted the idea that postsecondary options should be accessible to every student, from every background. The ACT Fee Waiver Program supports this mission by covering registration for two ACT tests and providing free test prep, extra score reports, and potential college application fee waivers for eligible students.

Partnering with organizations that share ACT’s mission to provide access to testing and resources has afforded students even more opportunities to explore their postsecondary options.

Unite Inc., founded in August 2011 by Dr. Travis Smith while he was a student at Alabama State University, is dedicated to serving rural Alabama high school students. Its mission is to increase college access, academic achievement, and degree attainment, especially with HBCU colleges across the country.

Dr. Smith, executive director, and his team provide ACT college preparation courses, professional development workshops, and college transition coaching to expose students to a wide range of postsecondary opportunities.

A cornerstone of Unite’s work is leveraging the ACT Fee Waiver Program to eliminate financial barriers that often prevent students from taking the ACT, an essential step toward college admission and scholarship eligibility. Dr. Smith explains, “These waivers give students increased motivation, knowing they can now afford to take the test and ease the financial stress that is often exacerbated in rural communities. This makes studying and test prep materials more accessible when knowing you can actually register for the test.”

ACT College Readiness Benchmarks: predictor of college success

The ACT College Readiness Benchmarks are data-driven predictors that indicate how the ACT subject-specific skills translate into success in first-year college courses. Meeting these benchmarks means a student is likely prepared for college-level work in those subjects and represents the likelihood that a student will achieve at least a B (50% chance) or at least a C (approximately 75-80% chance) in related first-year college courses.

Current ACT benchmarks:

For decades, the ACT test has been one of the most trusted measures of college readiness. But educators are increasingly recognizing that its value extends far beyond a single test day.

With millions of students participating in ACT district testing and PreACT testing at their schools, educators have access to powerful data that can inform instruction, strengthen core learning, and ensure every student has a pathway to postsecondary success.

At MasteryPrep, we’ve seen this transformation firsthand. Through the ACT Online Prep, Powered by MasteryPrep platform, educators are integrating test preparation directly into the school day — not as an add-on, but as an enhancement to standards-based instruction.

The result: stronger engagement, better outcomes, and greater student access to college readiness support.

Why In-School Prep Matters

Traditional after-school test prep, whether through private tutoring or weekend workshops, has long been an option for some students. However, the reality is that it’s not available to all students. In-school preparation ensures every student, not just those with the resources or time outside of class, gets the support they need to reach college readiness benchmarks.

More than that, in-school prep benefits classroom instruction. ACT’s college and career readiness standards are tightly aligned with what’s being taught. They measure the foundational skills that predict success in reading, mathematics, English, science, and writing.

By embedding ACT-aligned lessons and practice into instruction, teachers reinforce these non-negotiable skills where they matter most: in real time, as part of everyday learning.

From Data to Daily Impact

The data provided through ACT and PreACT testing offers educators a roadmap for personalized instruction. With the practice and learning experiences available in ACT Online Prep, Powered by MasteryPrep, teachers can translate this data into action.

They use the platform to:

• Reinforce key skills daily through quick Bell Ringer exercises aligned to ACT standards.
• Review essential concepts from prior grade levels — such as grammar or foundational algebra — to close gaps before they hinder progress.
• Raise rigor by incorporating authentic ACT questions that challenge students to apply knowledge in complex, real-world contexts.
• Remediate learning gaps with adaptive study plans that guide students through customized skill-building paths.

This approach transforms ACT prep from a separate task into an integrated teaching strategy — one that helps both teachers and students stay aligned on what true college readiness looks like.

Enriching Standards, Not Teaching to the Test

There’s a common misconception that incorporating test prep into instruction means “teaching to the test.” In reality, it’s about enriching the standards. For example, a teacher addressing a standard like “order fractions” can meet the benchmark through a textbook exercise, but using an ACT question on the same concept deepens rigor and application.

Students aren’t just memorizing procedures; they’re learning how to transfer skills to unfamiliar problems, which is the essence of higher learning.

When students encounter ACT-style rigor throughout their coursework, they develop confidence, resilience, and long-term retention. Learning becomes active, relevant, and measurable — not confined to a single assessment window.

Building a Culture of Readiness

Ultimately, integrating test prep into the school day changes more than academic outcomes; it also transforms school culture.

When college readiness becomes part of the daily rhythm of instruction, students begin to see themselves as capable of success beyond graduation. Teachers gain a clearer picture of student progress, administrators can target resources where they’re needed most, and entire campuses align around a shared goal: ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive.

In-school test prep isn’t just about higher scores. It’s about giving all students, in every classroom, the chance to master the skills that open doors to their future.

In today’s educational landscape, preparing students for success means more than just teaching content — it’s about equipping them with lifelong skills. A pioneering partnership between Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and ACT is doing just that by embedding ACT preparation into the K–12 curriculum. This initiative is reshaping how students engage with standardized testing and how educators approach instruction, offering tools and strategies that support academic growth from the earliest grades.

Leadership Driving Change

At the forefront of this transformation is Dr. Meri Kock, ACT Coordinator for MNPS. Her leadership has been instrumental in developing a comprehensive framework that weaves ACT prep into core subjects, ensuring students are not only test-ready but also academically confident.

Empowering Educators: The ACT Educator Academy

Recognizing that every educator plays a role in student success, MNPS launched the ACT Educator Academy, which is now evolving into the College and Career Readiness Academy. This program recruits faculty from all disciplines, including teachers, counselors, speech pathologists, social workers, and staff supporting students experiencing homelessness.

“In our first cohort, I invited anyone who wanted to support students,” Dr. Kock recalls. “Now, in our fourth year, applications have more than doubled as educators see the value in connecting curriculum, careers, and college readiness.”

Participants receive ongoing professional development through ACT Instructional Mastery in English, math, reading, and science, attend ACT State Organization Conferences, and engage in informal gatherings to share resources and strategies.

Why ACT Prep Belongs in the Curriculum

The ACT is more than a college entrance exam — it’s a measure of academic readiness that applies across postsecondary pathways. Whether students pursue college, technical training, military service, or enter the workforce, the skills assessed by the ACT are universally valuable.

“ACT prep, just like education in general, is about developing our students’ ability to communicate, think analytically, read critically, and interpret data,” says Dr. Kock. “These skills serve students well, no matter where life takes them. ACT prep isn’t about teaching to the test — it’s about preparing for life.”

To support this vision, when training or creating classroom curriculum, MNPS integrates ACT Online Prep, Powered by MasteryPrep into daily instruction, providing an accessible and comprehensive platform that educators can easily adopt for daily use.

As the labor market and education systems evolve, many states are having to find creative ways to help bridge gaps between students not pursuing a four-year degree and employers struggling to fill essential roles. Creating alternative pathways for these students is key to expanding opportunity, meeting workforce demand, and boosting local economies.

Across the country, state leaders are rethinking what readiness looks like and how to help every learner demonstrate the skills employers value most. States like Alabama, Louisiana, and Vermont are leading the way by integrating ACT WorkKeys and the National Career Readiness Certificate into their education and workforce development strategies. These tools help students demonstrate job-ready skills and give employers confidence in hiring qualified candidates.

Alabama: universal access and strategic retesting

Alabama offers ACT WorkKeys to all high school seniors every fall, ensuring broad exposure to career readiness assessments. Students who do not achieve a Silver-level NCRC — a benchmark for workplace readiness — can retest in the spring, with access to the WorkKeys curriculum to help improve their scores and impress potential employers.

Since 2006, Alabama students and job seekers have earned over 438,000 NCRCs, with more than 186,000 Silver-level certificates and over 114,000 Gold and Platinum-level certificates.

“Employers in the region understand a job seeker’s potential and feel that they are getting a better qualified employee with the NCRC,” says Donny Jones, Chief Operating Officer at the Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce

This widespread adoption has helped bridge gaps between education and industry, with 655 Alabama employers actively supporting the initiative and gaining access to more qualified applicants.

Louisiana: incentivizing achievement and community engagement

Louisiana administers ACT WorkKeys to all 11th and 12th graders, with over 13,000 students participating annually. The state’s school accountability system incentivizes high performance by awarding school report card points for students who earn a Gold-level NCRC or higher.

Impressively, 53% of students earn at least a Silver-level certificate, reinforcing Louisiana’s commitment to workforce readiness. Since 2006, Louisiana students and job-seekers have earned 307,362 NCRCs, and the state is also a national leader in Work Ready Communities, with 35 of 64 parishes actively participating.

Eleanor McMain Secondary School in New Orleans recognized the value of the NCRC for students post-graduation. “We broke down what the [WorkKeys] National Career Readiness Certificate meant and what it could be used for,” explains Dr. Melanie Moore, principal. “That’s when students bought into it. And then, we took it to the faculty to explain to them that it’s not just a test; that this can help students beyond just high school.”

With nearly 1200 Louisiana businesses supporting ACT WorkKeys NCRC, this alignment between education and economic development has created a robust pipeline of skilled workers, particularly in north Louisiana, which ranks among the top three regions nationally for coordinated Work Ready Community initiatives.

Vermont: innovative credentialing and postsecondary recognition

Vermont’s Department of Education has taken a strategic and innovative approach to WorkKeys. All 11th- and 12th-grade CTE students are required to take the WorkKeys Applied Mathematics and Workplace Documents assessments.

“Vermont first required all of its regional CTE centers to administer WorkKeys assessments beginning in the 2020-2021 school year,” says Ruth Durkee, Vermont AOE state director of career technical education. “We phased in our requirements for the percentage of students to be tested. In the first year, 56% of our CTE program concentrators took the WorkKeys Workplace Documents and Applied Mathematics assessments. That increased to 86% in the 2021-2022 school year, and then to 97% in 2022-2023 and 98% in 2023-2024."

Students who score a Level 5 or higher can then take the Graphic Literacy assessment to qualify for the NCRC. Those who score a Level 5 or higher across all three assessments receive their NCRC, which Vermont recognizes as a postsecondary credential for Perkins V accountability. With over 9300 NCRCs earned, this reinforces the credential’s value in both secondary education and workforce development.

The Community College of Vermont also acknowledges the value of WorkKeys. CTE students’ WorkKeys scores can be used for eligibility into Fast Forward and Dual Enrollment programs, and matriculated students who earn a Level 5 NCRC receive two elective credits at the CCV.

The value of non-degreed credentials

According to the National Science Foundation, 52% of STEM workers in the U.S. do not hold a bachelor’s degree. Many work in middle-skill occupations that require technical proficiency but not a four-year college education. Yet a skills gap threatens future growth. The U.S. could face a shortfall of 2.1 million manufacturing workers by 2030, potentially costing the economy $1 trillion in lost productivity.¹

Programs like ACT WorkKeys and NCRC are essential tools to close this gap by validating the skills of non-degreed workers and aligning education with industry needs.

The bottom line

Alabama, Louisiana, and Vermont demonstrate how ACT WorkKeys and NCRC can transform education systems, empower students, and strengthen local economies. By recognizing and rewarding real-world skills, these states are building a resilient, inclusive workforce—one that meets the demands of today’s industries without requiring a traditional college degree.

¹ https://allamerican.org/research/manufacturing-jobs-by-industry/

For immediate release:

IOWA CITY, IA (Oct. 15, 2025) — ACT today unveiled its annual Graduating Class Release, providing a clear snapshot of college readiness among the ACT-tested students in the Class of 2025 and valuable insight into those graduates’ readiness for workforce success.

Overall, 30% of the nearly 1.4 million 2025 graduates who took the assessment at least once between their 10th and 12th grade years met three or more of the four ACT College Readiness Benchmarks, meaning they have a 50% chance of scoring a B or better in associated, first-year college courses and a 75% chance of scoring a C or better in those courses. ACT data from prior graduating classes show that students in college who have met at least three ACT benchmarks are more than twice as likely to graduate within 150% of the expected time for an undergraduate degree than students who have met none.

“The best step to not just being admitted to college but graduating from college is being academically prepared for first-year success,” said ACT CEO Janet Godwin. “ACT College Readiness Benchmarks provide unbiased measures of that readiness — free from grade inflation and other influences.”

In-School Testing and Retesting

ACT celebrates the 23 states and hundreds of districts that expand access by providing students the chance to receive a college-reportable score and valuable postsecondary planning insights through school-day testing. Of those, 15 states tested 90% or more of their 2025 graduates.

“In-school testing for all eligible students is an easy choice,” said Lizzette Reynolds, Tennessee Commissioner of Education. “It gives us the most representative view of our students’ readiness and empowers students with data to guide their next steps after high school, whether through college, the workforce, or the military.”

In Tennessee, 76% of the 2025 graduating class took the ACT more than once, many of whom tested through a statewide program providing the retake at no cost to students. Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Wyoming also provided in-school retesting options in 2024-25. Nationally, students who take the ACT more than once increased their ACT Superscore by an average of 2.4 points. The ACT Superscore allows students to put forward their best section performances to colleges, universities, and scholarship-awarding organizations to increase their chances of admission, scholarships, and course placement.

Work-Ready Indicators

In addition to college readiness, the ACT also provides a research-based indicator of workforce preparedness. Based on their ACT scores, nearly 850,000 members of the ACT-tested Class of 2025 were projected to earn Silver or higher-level ACT WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificates. That signals that they have the essential foundational skills needed for success in most jobs in the U.S.

“States offering WorkKeys and testing are giving students the opportunity to earn powerful credentials — whether they are heading straight into the workforce or planning for college,” Godwin said.

Nearly 30,000 employers recognize the WorkKeys NCRC, and the American Council on Education recommends up to nine college credit hours for students who hold the credential. Nineteen states fund WorkKeys or WorkKeys Curriculum for learners and adults in the workforce, including Kansas, which provides funding for students to take WorkKeys, in addition to the ACT, while in high school.

“Some level of postsecondary education remains ideal for nearly all students,” said Beth Fultz, director of career, standards, and assessment services at the Kansas State Department of Education. “However, that isn’t possible or isn’t the immediate aspiration for every student. We offer the ACT WorkKeys Assessments to high school seniors who have not previously earned a WorkKeys score, not only to empower those who are heading straight into the workforce, but also to provide college-bound students more information that connects their learning to future jobs.”

The Enhanced ACT

Starting in spring 2025, students participating in national online testing outside of school time were able to take the enhanced ACT, with fewer questions, more time per item, and an optional science section. The enhanced test reflects extensive input from educators and students and marks the first major update to the ACT since 2005, when the optional writing section was added. Access to the enhanced ACT, which will be available online and on paper for all testers, will continue to roll out to all students through spring 2026. States and districts that pay for in-school testing will determine whether their students take the optional science section.

“I feel like (having more time) significantly helped,” said Noah Clements, a New Jersey student who took the enhanced ACT in April. “When I would do practice tests, I was getting on the edge of the time every single time. This time, I had time to review almost every section.”

Access and Recognition

In addition to data focused on the 2025 graduating class, ACT announced that:

• The company distributed more than 1 million ACT fee waivers in the 2024-25 school year, helping eligible students access testing and test prep resources.
• The number of schools offering one or more PreACT assessments grew by 20% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, giving more students and families early access to information about progress toward college readiness and giving educators key information to guide how they are preparing students.
• Just more than 14,000 8th- and 9th-graders earned Distinguished Scholar awards for exceptional performance on the PreACT 8/9, indicating significant progress toward college readiness.
  

The college admissions process can feel overwhelming for students — from maintaining good grades and choosing the right extracurricular activities to writing essays, visiting campuses, and taking entrance exams.

As one of the most trusted college entrance tests and an ally to parents, students, educators, and higher ed, we recognize that students may have anxiety about scores and that colleges need to rigorously assess the right skills to find top applicants.

As part of our commitment to provide learners with a positive testing experience while still delivering a fair, accessible, and accurate assessment of skills for college admissions teams, ACT recently announced updates and improvements to the ACT test.

The enhanced ACT has been modernized to provide more flexibility for the test taker, all while maintaining the same high level of accuracy and predictive power of the legacy test.

What’s new and what’s staying the same

We’ve made a few key changes to create a better experience for test-takers without changing the accuracy of what the ACT measures.

What changed?

In classrooms across the country, educators are doing more than teaching; they’re transforming lives. Among them are two dynamic women, Leah Douglas, member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Ashley May, member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., whose journeys to and through higher education reflect the power of preparation, purpose, and community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: ACT Strategic Communications; publicrelations@act.org

By Tammy Patterson, College Career Navigator, Springbrook H.S., Silver Spring, MD

Springbrook High School is a 2024 American College Application Campaign School of Excellence recipient and a participant of the Maryland Post-Secondary Success Campaign

As the college and career navigator at Springbrook High School, I knew my mission was to help students realize their potential and pave a pathway toward their dreams. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how talented and ambitious our students are. Yet, I’ve also noticed a recurring challenge — too many lacked exposure to the resources, networks, and opportunities they needed to take those crucial first steps toward college and career success.

The spark that started it all

Sixteen years ago, we organized a simple college visit at our school campus. The concept was straightforward: bring representatives from local universities to speak with our students. What we witnessed that day exceeded all expectations. Students, many of whom had never interacted one-on-one with a college representative, were captivated. They eagerly asked questions, flipped through brochures, and for the first time began imagining themselves stepping onto a college campus.

That initial event proved one thing to me: it’s not that our students lacked ambition, but rather guidance and exposure to understand how to turn their aspirations into reality. From that moment, I knew that to make a real difference, we needed to bring the tools, connections, and conversations directly to our students. And so, our first American College Application Campaign event was born.

Access to resources is key to opening doors

The goal of our college application campaign is simple but profound: to equip students with the resources and confidence to take the next step into their future. Over the years, we’ve expanded to a comprehensive series of events, including college fairs, essay-writing workshops, application help sessions, and financial aid seminars. These events are carefully designed to empower students to envision a future beyond high school.

By hosting these events during the school day, we make the process accessible and inclusive. Students don’t have to find transportation, juggle after-school commitments, or worry about navigating unfamiliar spaces. It’s become a cornerstone of our culture — empowering students to see what’s next and giving them the tools to take that first step confidently.

Many have told us they felt “seen” and supported in a way they hadn’t before, and it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “Now I can actually picture myself in college.”

ACT established the ACT Scholars program to nurture the academic talent of graduate and community college students at the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College, respectively. These institutions share ACT’s commitment to helping all learners achieve their college and career goals. Each ACT Scholar’s story reflects resilience, passion, and a vision for the future.

Finding qualified candidates is a challenge for both employers and colleges. What if there were a way to bridge the gap between classroom learning and job performance? That’s where the ACT WorkKeys® program steps in. WorkKeys is a comprehensive initiative designed to prepare individuals for success in the workplace. Here’s why it’s a game-changer:

1. Real-World Skill Focus

WorkKeys assessments are built around practical, job-relevant skills like applied technology, business writing, and essential skills. These aren’t abstract academic tests; they reflect the actual tasks people face on the job. In fact, a recent ACT research study reported that a vast majority of students surveyed feel that they would be better prepared for college and the workplace with courses focused on developing essential skills.

For many students, the ACT is more than a test; it’s a bridge to post-secondary opportunities. But for learners facing financial barriers, even the registration fee can feel like an impossible hurdle. The ACT Fee Waiver Program offers learners in need the opportunity to take the test and open doors to possibilities beyond high school. With access for all learners as a cornerstone of the ACT mission, this program helps them build confidence and prepare for long-term success.

Kagan Word, a 2022 fee waiver recipient, is now a Biology/Pre-Med student at Tennessee State University, a historically black college and university. His high school counselor at Forrest City High School, in Arkansas, a strong mentor to the entire student body, ensured the class was aware of the ACT Fee Waiver Program and encouraged them to take advantage of it.

Kagan knew he needed to take the ACT to gain acceptance into college with opportunities for merit scholarships, so he immediately jumped at the idea of applying for a waiver. He emphasized the importance of school counselors in spreading awareness and guidance throughout the process and reflected on how that shared knowledge made him feel. “It meant that my education and future were valued by not only myself but by my school and ACT itself. It also boosted my confidence in pursuing opportunities both educationally and professionally.”

Additionally, Kagan shared that receiving the fee waiver motivated him to study harder and take advantage of the opportunity being afforded him. “With the test being free, I wanted to give it my best shot—so I put in a lot of work to study and prepare.”

Learners such as Kagan, who are recipients of the program, benefit not only from increased college and career opportunities but may also develop healthy study habits and increase confidence in their post-secondary endeavors.

Why This Matters

The ACT Fee Waiver Program is about more than just gaining access to the test; it’s a collective effort with a ripple effect.

• Educators play a critical role in informing and guiding learners toward fee waivers. Stories like Kagan’s show how a simple conversation can change a learner’s trajectory.
• For parents and guardians, fee waivers ease financial stress and empower children to pursue college with confidence, so it’s important to work with school counselors who can determine eligibility.
• Employers benefit too! Learners who take advantage of the ACT Fee Waiver Program now can be valuable employees later. Giving them those opportunities can help build a stronger, more prepared workforce.
• Finally, for influencers and advocates, sharing stories like Kagan’s helps normalize the use of fee waivers, encouraging more learners to consider postsecondary options.

When educators, parents, and community leaders join forces to promote the ACT Fee Waiver Program, financial barriers are broken down and pathways are built for all learners’ success. This simple act of collaboration empowers the next generation of leaders to realize their full potential.