Are ACT Tests For All Students A Good State Policy ?

Eight state require all students to take ACT college tests in grade 11. Questions have been raised on how ACT tests align with the other state tests for grades 2-10. Is the content and rigor similar? How does ACT align with the new common core standards adopted by 38 states? ACT is a good signaling device for students to know whether they are college ready.

A proposed plan by the North Carolina Board of Education would require most 11th-grade students to take the ACT. Students also will take pre-tests leading to the ACT in 8th and in 10th grade. ACT scores will be used as a factor in determining how well schools are educating students. Schools also will be able to identify students who do poorly on the exam and encourage them to attend an academic “boot camp” in the summer after their junior year. See a new Center for Evaluation and Education Policy report on this topic