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
- 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.
- 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).
HIGH SCHOOL A-TEAM MEMBERS
Aimee Wyatt, Chair, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Cheryl Mayes, Vice Chair, Nissan North America
Samantha Andrews, Frist Center for Visual Arts
Lisa Bonelli, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Sonya Brooks, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Elise Burns, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Allison Cantway, Nashville International Center for Empowerment
Nicole Cobb, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Chae Denning, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Thom Druffel, Holiday Inn at Vanderbilt
Tiffany Farmer, Adventure Science Center
Beverley Flatt, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Lee Gray, Oasis College Connection
Kay Higgs, STARS Nashville
Susan Kessler, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Kyla Krengel, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Bob Kucher, PENCIL Foundation
DeeGee Lester, The Parthenon
Sonya Mansfield, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Lonnell Matthews, YMCA of Middle Tennessee
Chaney Mosley, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Susan Murphy, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Kelly Noser, Noser Consulting and Evaluation
Caitlin Nossett, HCA Foundation
Meghan Oliver, Nashville State Community College
Jill Petty, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Matt Seaton, PENCIL Foundation
Jason Seay, Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Stephen Sheaffer, Metro Nashville Public Schools
James Snider, Tennessee Student Assistance Corp.
Jay Steele, Metro Nashville Public Schools
Jason Strandquist, Hands On Nashville
Ellen Zinkiewicz, Nashville Career Advancement Center
For more information, contact Melissa Jaggers, Associate Executive Director.