Measuring Student Growth Using the Ohio ACT Profile Report Graduating Class 2016 Diana Rogers, Regional Coordinator HSTW NE Ohio Region September 21, 2016

The ACT is a curriculum-based measure of college readiness ACT components include: Tests of academic achievement in English, math, reading, and science High school grade and course information Student Profile Section Career Interest Inventory

Only the ACT reports College Readiness Benchmark Scores A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject-area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit-bearing college courses, which include English Composition, Algebra, Social Science, Biology and STEM. These scores were empirically derived based on the actual performance of students in college.

2016 Ohio ACT Key Findings 73% of the 2016 Ohio graduating class were tested compared to 64% nationally (93,659 students in Ohio 2,090,342 student national) Ohio outperformed the nation in English, reading, math and science. Average Composite Score 22

College CourseACT Benchmark Score % Nation % Ohio % Your Site English ComEnglish Algebra IMath Social ScienceReading BiologyScience All 4Composite STEMSTEM Percentage of Ohio Students Ready for College-level Course Work Compare to Nation

ACT Key Findings – Opportunity for Growth Ohio has an opportunity to improve on the college and career readiness of its students, especially in reading and science. At least 10% of students were only 1 or 2 points below the Benchmark in reading and science 15% of Ohio’s ACT Tested graduates did not plan to take a core curriculum. More students could have benefited by taking a college preparatory core curriculum – More rigorous senior year!

ACT Key Findings – Student Aspirations Good News! 90% of Ohio’s 2016 ACT-tested graduated aspired to postsecondary education. Interesting…91% of 2015 ACT-tested graduates aspired to postsecondary education, compared to 74% who actually did enrolled.

What Affects Student Success Core academic skills: English, math and science Crosscutting capabilities: technology and information literacy, collaborative problem solving, thinking and metacognition and studying and learning Behavioral skills: interpersonal, self -regulatory and task-related behaviors Education and career navigation skills: make informed, personally relevant decisions; develop actionable, achievable plans

Making Core Curriculum A Priority Emphasize the need for all students to develop college and work ready skills, regardless of postsecondary aspirations. 80% of the students in the cohort reported taking courses that would be considered 'Core or More’

Making Sure Students Are Taking the Right Kind of Courses 2% of the cohort took less than three years of math courses. Of these students, 11% were college ready. 8% of the cohort reported taking a course sequence of Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry. 14% of these students were college ready. In comparison, 54% of the students who took 3 or more years of math beyond Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry were college ready.

What should we do? Getting more students ready for Algebra prior to 9th grade will increase the chances that students will be prepared for and take advanced-level math courses.

Taking the Right Science Courses 10% of the cohort took less than three years of natural science courses. 18% of these students were college ready. In comparison, 49% of students who took at least three years of science coursework were college ready.

Evaluating the Rigor of Courses Compare your students rigor in Table 3.1 to Ohio and all students in the Nation falling in each of the ACT College Readiness Standards score ranges. For example, approximately 43% of the cohort fall into the lowest three Mathematics score ranges.

What can schools do? To increase these students' achievement, identify the standards they should focus on next by accessing ACT's College Readiness Standards at

Plan Guidance Activities BASED ON STUDENTS' CAREER AND COLLEGE ASPIRATIONS: Data in Tables 4.1 and 4.2 enable the reader to determine if aspirations are consistent with academic performance and whether, among students with similar aspirations, academic performance is consistent across racial/ethnic groups.

Finally… Using ACT standards, benchmarks and data to inform your decision on your school improvement plan. If your goal is College and Career Readiness for all students, using ACT to measure student growth may be a good choice.