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Springfield SD 186 switches to ACT testing for juniors; district provides free prep books, sets April test dates
Summary
District officials told the board that juniors will take the ACT (with writing) on April 16, with makeup testing April 23; the district purchased prep books for every junior and will provide school-based supports and online resources.
Springfield School District 186 on Feb. 3 briefed the board on the district’s transition from the SAT to the ACT for statewide high school testing and outlined the supports being provided to students and staff.
Mr. Scott, who presented the district’s plan, said eleventh graders will take the ACT with writing on April 16; makeup testing is scheduled for April 23. Tenth graders will take the preACT secure and ninth graders will take the preACT non-secure exam in the same window. The district purchased ACT preparation books and materials for every junior, Scott said, and schools will make those resources available in print and online.
Why it matters: the ACT’s college‑readiness benchmarks differ by subject — for example, a 22 in math or reading is commonly cited as a college-readiness marker — and the ACT has a different timing and pacing profile than the SAT. Scott told the board the district’s operational goal is to lift the district average toward a 22 composite score and that students and staff should use the district‑provided materials to practice pacing and content-specific skills.
Scott walked the board through logistics and test structure: English, math, reading and science comprise the multiple-choice sections, and juniors will also take one writing prompt. He said the ACT emphasizes quick application of knowledge — for example, students may have 36–60 seconds per question depending on the section — and that the science section assesses data-interpretation and experimental-design skills rather than memorized science facts.
The district distributed six full practice tests in the main prep book and linked online resources and practice materials from ACT.org. Scott advised students to approach the materials in small, regular chunks (for example, 10–20 practice questions per session) and to use the book explanations to learn the reasoning behind correct answers. He said teachers in the high school have copies for classroom use and that the books include access codes to online practice.
Board members asked how the district will deliver targeted ACT prep for students who need extra help; Scott said school-based tutoring plans are still being developed and that principals and staff had already been briefed on the resources. The district also said it will encourage students to use personal email addresses when registering for ACT services so they retain access to accounts after graduation.
The board received the briefing with no formal action taken at the meeting; staff said they will report back on implementation and any school-level tutoring programs as they are created.
