Board approves ACT Education contract to expand test access and WorkKeys support for labeled high schools

The Committee of the Whole approved a professional-services contract with ACT Education Corporation for $129,913.30 to provide an assessment platform and related services for high schools the district has labeled as needing urgent or critical intervention. District officials said the funding was applied for through the prior school year’s Super App and is restricted to campuses carrying the CRU/R (urgent/critical intervention) label. Staff said the contract will provide access to PreACT for 10th graders and ACT resources for 11th and 12th graders regardless of whether students are enrolled in a specific ACT class. The agreement also provides access to the ACT WorkKeys platform (through a third-party provider, MasteryPrep) and includes professional development for one CTE teacher and one lead WorkKeys teacher at qualifying schools. Officials said the district will spend all but $0.70 of the allocated funds; the remaining funds will pay for 21 additional voucher retakes for students near college- or career-readiness thresholds. District staff read a list of qualifying campuses that will receive the services; staff also said two schools that currently lack the label will be provided services informally. Board members asked how this contract differs from other ACT-prep contracts the district has; staff said the Bridal (BRIC/Bridal in transcript) contract supports specific master-schedule classes while the ACT Education contract expands access districtwide for labeled campuses and provides professional development and vouchers. A motion to approve the contract was made, seconded and the board recorded that the motion carried.