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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 Mastery Prep, ACT’s strategic partner, into daily instruction. Mastery Prep provides an accessible and comprehensive platform that educators can easily adopt for daily use.
With ACT prep as part of a comprehensive curriculum ecosystem, MNPS students exceeded the state's achievement expectations across every testing category consistently over the last three years. This is a testament to the dedicated faculty, administration, professional development opportunities and students' hard work.
Rather than waiting until high school — or even middle school — MNPS begins building ACT-related skills as early as kindergarten. Through regular classroom activities in reading, math, writing, and science, students develop foundational competencies that align with ACT standards. This early integration creates a seamless, supportive pathway toward college and career readiness.
Starting Early: ACT Skills from Kindergarten On
Rather than waiting until high school — or even middle school — MNPS begins building ACT-related skills as early as kindergarten. Through regular classroom activities in reading, math, writing, and science, students develop foundational competencies that align with ACT standards. This early integration creates a seamless, supportive pathway toward college and career readiness.
Importantly, this approach also addresses equity. For students from underserved communities, access to quality test prep can be limited. By embedding ACT preparation into everyday learning, MNPS ensures all students have the opportunity to succeed.
Community Engagement and Feedback
A key strength of this initiative is its collaborative spirit. MNPS and ACT researchers actively involve parents, educators, and community members through workshops and outreach programs. These efforts help families understand the role of the ACT and how to support their children’s academic journey.
Teacher feedback is also central to the program’s evolution. By creating a feedback loop between educators, students, and researchers, MNPS ensures the curriculum remains responsive to real-world classroom needs.
And the feedback from educators who participated in the ACT Educator Academy has been overwhelmingly positive when it comes to helping their students prepare for the ACT, learning valuable and relevant information about the ACT, and feeling more confident teaching it.
In addition to crucial academic skills, students are developing the critical thinking, communication, and analytical abilities that will serve them well in any postsecondary path.
Looking ahead
MNPS’s collaboration with ACT offers a model for districts nationwide. By transforming standardized testing from a high-stakes event into a meaningful academic milestone, this initiative empowers students to reach their full potential from the very beginning of their educational journey.
Community Engagement and Feedback
A key strength of this initiative is its collaborative spirit. MNPS and ACT researchers actively involve parents, educators, and community members through workshops and outreach programs. These efforts help families understand the role of the ACT and how to support their children’s academic journey.
Teacher feedback is also central to the program’s evolution. By creating a feedback loop between educators, students, and researchers, MNPS ensures the curriculum remains responsive to real-world classroom needs.
And the feedback from educators who participated in the ACT Educator Academy has been overwhelmingly positive when it comes to helping their students prepare for the ACT, learning valuable and relevant information about the ACT, and feeling more confident teaching it.
In addition to crucial academic skills, students are developing the critical thinking, communication, and analytical abilities that will serve them well in any postsecondary path.
Looking ahead
MNPS’s collaboration with ACT offers a model for districts nationwide. By transforming standardized testing from a high-stakes event into a meaningful academic milestone, this initiative empowers students to reach their full potential from the very beginning of their educational journey.