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Norfolk presentation details districtwide ACT preparation, curriculum alignment
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Summary
Norfolk Public Schools staff outlined how preACT, targeted instruction and a Varsity Tutors partnership are used to prepare juniors for the ACT; administrators highlighted new item‑analysis tools and multi‑year growth against a socioeconomic 'best‑fit' model.
At a Norfolk Public Schools Board of Education meeting, district staff described a multi‑pronged approach to preparing students for the ACT, saying the district uses repeated preACT administrations, curriculum alignment, and external tutoring to boost readiness and achievement.
A presenter from Norfolk High School explained that juniors take the ACT in the spring, while ninth‑ and tenth‑graders take preACT. "The major reason why this is so important is because 80% of our students express interest in continuing their education after they graduate," the presenter said, arguing that ACT scores affect admissions and merit scholarships. The presenter described classroom strategies—ELA teams practice ACT‑style writing, math integrates Amplify with Desmos, and science instruction emphasizes data representation in lab work.
Chris Begeman, of the teaching-and-learning team, discussed data use and the district's recent move to an online testing platform. Begeman said item‑analysis is now available quickly after testing and allows teachers to review not only scores but the actual questions and answers. Jared Oswald, instructional leadership, described a 'best‑fit' analysis comparing building proficiency rates to free‑and‑reduced‑lunch percentages; he said the district has improved its performance against that benchmark over the past three years.
Board members asked about changes to the ACT format. The presenter said the "enhanced ACT" removes science from the composite score; the district will continue to report science and writing to the state but emphasized students must be taught to interpret the new question types. Staff also noted that most juniors (about 95–96% on the testing day) completed the state administration, with alternate assessments used where IEPs require them.
The presentation credited classroom alignment, targeted SMART goals set from item‑analysis, and a free partnership with Varsity Tutors that serves more than 100 students for ACT prep. The board had no immediate action; staff said they will continue to analyze the incoming test data and share trends in regular reports.
