What ACT Data are Telling You
About Your Students
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OUR MISSION
Helping people achieve education and workplace success
OUR
VALUES
Excellence
Diversity
Leadership
Empowerment
Learning
Sustainability
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ACT Learning Insights Team
What We Do
Insights from
ACT Data
Insights from
Professional
Practice
Insights from
ACT Research
LIT-designed
Professional
Learning
Experiences
Raise Academic Standards and Increase
Achievement to Ensure All Students Are
College and Career Ready (CCR)
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Introduction
Workshop Objectives
 Describe ACT’s definition of college and career
readiness
 Explain ACT’s College and Career Readiness
System and how The ACT fits
 Find key data points in the ACT High School
Report and ACT Profile Report
 Translate data into insights about curriculum,
instruction and support at the district, school,
and classroom levels.
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Workshop Agenda





College and Career Readiness
The ACT
ACT High School Report
ACT Profile Report
Reflections
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Workshop Materials
Road Map
Workbook
Writing Test Supplement
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Introduction
College and Career Readiness
What does College and Career
Readiness mean to you?
Record your thoughts on page 15
of your Workbook.
p.15
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p. 5
8
ACT’s Definition of College and Career Readiness
College and Career Readiness is the level
of preparation a student needs
to be equipped to enroll and succeed –
without remediation – in a
credit-bearing, first-year course
at a two-year or four-year institution,
trade school, or technical school.
www.act.org/commoncore
p. 7
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ACT’s College and Career Readiness System
Components
p. 8
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The Core Practice Framework
www.act.org/products/additional-products-assessments/act-core-practice-framework/
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ACT National Curriculum Survey®
The Foundation of ACT’s College and Career Readiness
System
 Conducted every
three to five years
 Nationwide survey of
educational practices
and expectations
–
–
–
–
College instructors
High school teachers
Middle school teachers
Elementary teachers
http://www.act.org/research-policy/national-curriculum-survey
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ACT National Curriculum Survey®
The Foundation of ACT’s College and Career Readiness System
 Identifies the skills and knowledge
postsecondary institutions expect of students
 Guides the development of ACT’s assessments
that measure college-ready skills
 Informs efforts to develop, refine, and update
academic standards
 Inform policymakers and educators
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Longitudinal Assessments
Common Score Scale Relationship
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32
25
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ACT’s College Readiness Benchmarks
Test
College Course
English
8th Grade
9th Grade
English Composition
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14
15
18
Math
College Algebra
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18
19
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Reading
Social Sciences
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16
17
21
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Science
Biology
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 Empirically derived
 50% likelihood of achieving a B or higher or about a 75%
likelihood of achieving a C or higher in the corresponding
credit-bearing college course
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ACT’s College Readiness Standards
 Identify the knowledge and
skills students are likely to
demonstrate at various score
levels on each academic test.
 Help interpret what the scores
earned in ACT Explore, ACT
Plan and The ACT mean.
 Direct link between what
students have learned and
what they are ready to learn
next.
www.act.org/standard/
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Statements that
describe what students
are likely to know and
be able to do...
And statements that
provide suggestions to
progress to a higher level
of achievement
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Condition of College and Career Readiness, 2012
National Results
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained, 2012
http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr12/readiness4.html
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Condition of College and Career Readiness, 2013
National Results
Percent of ACT-Tested High School Graduates by Number of
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks Attained, 2013
http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr13/readiness4.html
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Percent of 11th grade State-Tested ACT students
Ready for College-Level Coursework, 2013
Hawaii Results
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College and Career Readiness
Reflections
 What insights have you gained from learning
about ACT’s definition of College and Career
Readiness?
 Record your insights on the Readiness section
of your Road Map.
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 The most widely used college admission test in
the U.S. (more than 2.8 million students
annually)
 Accepted by all colleges and universities across
the country
 Used to connect students to college advising,
majors, career exploration, scholarships, and
campus life
p. 13
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Test Details
 A curriculum-based achievement test
 Measures college and career readiness in:
– English, mathematics, reading, and science
– Optional Writing Test (included in Hawaii state testing)
 Noncognitive Components
– High School Course/Grade Information
– ACT Interest Inventory
– Student Profile Section
 Timed:
– Multiple Choice Sections: 2 hours and 55 minutes
– Optional Writing Test: 30 minutes
 Educational Opportunity Service (EOS)
p.13
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p.17
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Meet Ann
 Wants to major in Accounting
 Not sure how to narrow down her
college choices
 Really enjoys her English classes but
is challenged by math and science
 Hopes to take honors courses in
college
 Participates in Junior ROTC
 Works part time on weekends at a
local restaurant to save money for
college expenses
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ACT High School Report
Meet Ann
 The ACT High School Report
tells us about Ann’s:
– Career interests
– College plans
– Educational strengths &
weaknesses
– Areas of need
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ACT High School Report
Components
Each report includes eight sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identifying Information
Scores and Norms
Academic Achievement
College Readiness
Information about Colleges
College Planning
College Selection Items
Educational and Vocational Plans
Education and
Educational Needs and Interests
Career
Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions Planning
p.18
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1. Identifying Information





Name and other identifying information
High School Code
Test Date
Graduation Year
Photo
p.18
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2. ACT Scores and Norms
Academic Achievement
p.18
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ACT Writing Test
Writing Test Supplement
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3. College Readiness
Academic Achievement
p.18
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Academic Achievement for Ann
ACT Scores and College Readiness Connections
p.18
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ACT High School Report
Components
Each report includes eight sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identifying Information 
Scores and Norms 
College Readiness 
Information about Colleges
College Planning
College Selection Items
Educational and Vocational Plans
Educational Needs and Interests
Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions
p.18
34
4. Information About Colleges
College Planning
p.18
35
5. College Selection Items
College Planning
p.18
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College Planning for Ann
Connections between College Selection Items and
Information about Colleges
p.18
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College Planning
Education and Career Planning
 For student’s selected colleges:
-High School average for firstyear students
-Chances in ten of “C” or
higher
-Average first-year college
GPA
-Student’s relative rank at
college in ACT Test areas
p.18
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College Academic “Fit” for Ann
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ACT High School Report
Components
Each report includes eight sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identifying Information 
Scores and Norms 
College Readiness 
Information about Colleges 
College Selection Items 
Educational and Vocational Plans
Education and
Educational Needs and Interests
Career
Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions Planning
p.18
40
6. Educational and Vocational Plans
Education and Career Planning
p.18
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7. Educational Needs and Interests
Education and Career Planning
 Needs Help with:
– Educational or
vocational plans
– Mathematics
 Interest in:
– First-year honors courses
– ROTC
p.18
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8. Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions
Education and Career Planning
p.18
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8. Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions
Education and Career Planning
p.19
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Education and Career Planning for Ann
Connections Between Plans and Interest Inventory
p.18
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ACT High School Report
Components
Each report includes eight sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Identifying Information 
Scores and Norms 
College Readiness 
Information about Colleges 
College Selection Items 
Educational and Vocational Plans 
Educational Needs and Interests 
Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions 
p.18
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Using ACT Results to Support Ann
 A major in Accounting matches her
Career Interest Inventory results
 May have difficulty with freshman math
and science requirements
 Has a few mismatched ideas about what
she is looking for in a college
 Will need information about how to
access scholarship, campus employment
or Work-Study opportunities
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ACT High School Report
Analyzing & Using Student Scores
 Help identify students’ readiness for college
and careers
 Academic advising and counseling
 Identify students needing help
 Look for career interest-major “fit”
 Adjust educational and career plans
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High School Score Report
Reflections
 What insights have you gained from examining
your High School Score Report?
 What implications does this report have for
counseling students about:
–
–
–
–
Curriculum and Course Selection
Intervention/Support
College Plans
Career Possibilities
 Record your thoughts on the ACT High School
Report section of your Road Map.
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p. 21
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The ACT Profile Report
 Performance
 Access
 Course Selection
 Course Rigor
 College Readiness
 Awareness
 Articulation
p. 21
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The ACT Profile Report
p. 22
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Percent of Your Students Ready for College-Level Coursework
ACT Profile Report: Figure 1.1
p. 6
p. 27
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College Readiness Standards School Range
ACT Profile Report: Table 1.6
p. 9
p. 30
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College Readiness Standards School Range
ACT Profile Report: Table 2.6
Turn to p. 52 in the Workbook
p. 15
p. 35
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Score Distributions, Percentages, & Averages
ACT Profile Report: Table 2.1
p. 12
p. 32
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Score Distributions, Percentages, & Averages
ACT Profile Report: Table 2.1
346 Total Students
Students on
target to be
college ready
Students
on the
cusp
160 (46%) Students
Above Benchmark
85 (17%) Students on the
Cusp
Benchmark
34 in danger of slipping
38 within 2 points of benchmark
Students in need
of intervention
101 (29%) Students Below
Benchmark
p. 32
p.
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ACT Scores by Gender
ACT Profile Report: Table 2.7
p. 15
p. 35
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Percent of Students Meeting
College Readiness Benchmarks by Gender
ACT Profile Report: Table 2.8
p. 15
p. 35
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Average ACT Scores and Average ACT Score
Changes by Common Course Patterns
ACT Profile Report: Table 3.1
p. 23
p. 43
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Planned Educational Majors by College Plans
ACT Profile Report: Table 4.1
p. 26
p. 46
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Students’ Score Report Preferences at Time of Testing
ACT Profile Report: Table 4.3
p. 28
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Average ACT English and Writing Scores
ACT Profile Report: Table 5.1
p. 30
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ACT Writing Test Supplement
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The ACT High School Profile Report
 Identify students needing help
 Adjust and improve curriculum
 Identify achievement gaps (gender, race/
ethnicity, course pattern)
 Support a college-going culture
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ACT Profile Report
Reflections
 What insights have you gained from examining
your ACT Profile Report data?
 What implications do the data reveal for:
–
–
–
–
Curriculum
Staff Development
Instruction
Intervention/Support
 Record your thoughts on the ACT Profile Report
section of your Road Map.
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ACT Resources for Students
ACT Student Website






Registering for The ACT National Test Date
ACT student blog
ACT podcasts
Financial Aid Need Estimator
College Search
Online Practice ACT and ACT Question of the
Day
www.actstudent.org
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ACT Resources for Students
ACT Student Website
www.actstudent.org
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ACT Resources for Parents
ACT Parent Website
www.actparent.org
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ACT Resources for Educators
ACT Learning Events
From act.org/learningevents, you can download:
 Workshop workbooks
 Why Take ACT Explore/ACT Plan/The ACT?
 Sample Parent Letters
 Technical Manuals
 Interpretation presentations and videos
 Live and on-demand webinars
http://www.act.org/learningevents/resources
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ACT Resources for Educators
ACT Essay View
 View student
essays
 Up to 1 year after
student graduates
 Individual student
search or criteria
selection
 View online, print,
save
www.act.org/essayview/
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Workshop Objectives
Conclusion
 Describe ACT’s definition of college and career
readiness
 Explain ACT’s College and Career Readiness
System and how The ACT fits
 Find key data points in the ACT High School
Report and The ACT Profile Report
 Translate data into insights about curriculum,
instruction, and support at the district, school,
and classroom levels.
72
Additional Resources
 Future events shown at
www.act.org/learningevents
 Additional questions?
Contact Customer Service:
800-553-6244
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Mahalo
Mahalo
for all you do for Hawaii’s students!
Have a great school year!
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