High School Alignment Team

Partners in ACT Prep (PACT)

31.86% of juniors scored 21 or above on the ACT in spring 2014

Students who score a 21 or above on the ACT are eligible for state-funded scholarships, as well as a host of other public and private scholarship opportunities. However, ACT prep courses are often too expensive for students who most need help, and they are often difficult for students to participate in during out-of-school time due to transportation, employment, and other issues. 

The Alignment Nashville High School Team has created PACT - Partners in ACT preparation - to align community resources to help students reach or exceed the goal of a 21 on the ACT. Community and business partners participating as PACT mentors, guiding small groups of students in effective, proven, personalized ACT prep strategies to help them increase their score.

The participating pilot high schools for 2015-16  - Hillwood High School, Hunters Lane High School, Maplewood High School and Overton High School - administered a practice ACT test to all juniors in October 2015; the results of this test will be used by partner Analyze Ed to create a personalized Pareto analysis roadmap to help each student prepare for the ACT in the spring 2016.

School staff will use that data to determine which students would benefit most from small group work and will assign them to groups based on skill level, areas of need, etc. The A-Team issued an Invitation to Participate (ITP) in October 2015 to recruit community organizations, businesses, and others to serve as PACT mentors. These PACT mentors will meet in small group settings during the school day in spring 2016 to assist students as they prepare for the ACT in April 2016. 

LONG TERM OUTCOMES:

 Increase High School Graduation Rates

 Increase College Readiness

 Increase Career Readiness

1. Increase career readiness rate - 15% increase in the number of juniors that score a 21 or higher composite score on the ACT in spring 2016.
2. Increase college readiness rate- 15% increase in the number of juniors that score a 21 or higher composite score on the ACT in spring 2016. (Baseline: 31.86% of juniors scored 21 or above in spring 2014; goal is to reach at least 47% of juniors scoring a 21 or above in spring 2016.)

MIDTERM OUTCOMES:

At least 75% of participating students and PACT partners complete 8 sessions (out of 12 available sessions).

(data to be collected in spring 2016) 

SHORT TERM OUTCOMES:

At least 50% of students receiving direct services through PACT increase their predicted ACT score by 2 points based on the mid-point assessment. (data to be collected spring 2016) 

OUTPUTS:

• At least 30 volunteers are trained as PACT partners
• 100% of juniors at participating pilot high schools take assessment during October 2015

$4,608,000 = impact of pilot

Students who earn at least a 21 on the ACT become eligible for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship, which is worth up to $16,000 per student over a four-year college career.

If this pilot initiative achieves its outcome of increasing the number of students at the pilot schools that score 21 or higher by 15%, that will represent 288 additional Nashville students qualifying for the HOPE Scholarship (288 x $16,000 = $4,608,000). 

$13,840,000 = impact of initiative at scale

At scale across the district, this initiative could result in at least 865 additional Nashville students qualifying for the HOPE Scholarship (865 x $16,000 = $13,840,000).